Between Kings & Queens
by XDragonsxSpectrumX
Summary: Reigning alongside High King Caspian X the Seafarer, the Pevensies learn that Narnia has never felt more like home. With the siblings united once more, they have the whole world at their feet, and together they discover strength, warmth ... and perhaps love? (Suspian, movieverse, sometime after VotDT.) (Collection of organized one-shots) (Rated M for sexual content)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hullo fellow Suspians! After years of absence, I have returned once more!**

 **This one will be another one-shot, but there are some changes:**

 **The Pevensies, including Eustace, are staying in Narnia together with (now) High King Caspian. This is present shortly after The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, movie verse of course!**

 **Anyway, without much further ado, I will leave you to your reading. Enjoy!**

* * *

As the High Queen walked in-between the bookshelves stretching all the way up to the tower's ceiling, she could see the small flecks of dust dancing in the air through the ray of late afternoon sunlight breaking through the window glass. She was reading her book at hand whilst walking over to sit down by the window. To do so she had to find her way through the labyrinth of books and shelves - which, of course the Gentle Queen knew by heart by now.

Walking her way by habit, she had delved so deep into her book that she did not see the silhouette standing at the end of one bookshelf.

Passing the corner, she hit something she would describe as a hard, yet warm wall of fabric. She immediately stepped back at the impact, only to look up into a familiar Telmarine's face. His dark chocolate, intense gaze met her icy, silvery blue eyes. When he recognized her, he shot her a warm smile. She allowed her heart to skip a beat before she remembered her manners and stepped back.

"Caspian! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there!" she began, and soon, the handsome Telmarine High King's face cracked into a grin.

"No need to worry, my Queen. You did not hurt yourself, did you?" he asked her. He might have gone for a tone of concern in his voice, but his smile revealed his amusement.

Susan straightened her warm brown dress with a cream underdress whilst trying not to blush at the embarrassment of practically bumping into the High King.

"No, no, not at all." she assured him without looking at him.

When she did look up at him, she was relieved to meet his warm gaze. Letting her eyes wander down to his broad shoulders, down across his strong chest and to his hands, her eyes rested down at his arms and she noticed the book he was holding.

"Studying, are we?" she asked him warmly. She smiled at the fact that he was carrying a swordsman skill book – a King could never be too good with a sword.

Caspian followed her gaze down to the book.

"Ah, no, I was just returning it for Eustace." He ran a hand through his short, dark beard. "He and Edmund have been overlooking different techniques today. They finished some time ago, and I offered to put it back as I was returning some books myself. Though I probably should be studying as well." He told her with a toothy grin, eyeing her mischievously. She offered him a half-sided smile as she fidgeted with the back of her own book.

"Nonsense, you excel with the blade, Caspian," she told him truthfully as she delicately brushed past him to put down her book at a small mahogany table just by the window.

He followed her with his gaze and turned to her, a handsome smile covering his lips.

"Even more so than your brother?" he challenged her with a twinkling smile, stepping down her way and she turned to him and furrowed her brows in thought with the slightest smile upon her lush lips. She raised her chin.

"Yes. After managing to beat Peter's hide last week, I think we are safe to conclude with that. But, you still haven't managed to beat me in archery as of yet," she reminded him humorously, and he chuckled at the thought. At a training session mere days ago, she had mercilessly shot his arrows to splinters whenever he hit the core of the target, proving to him that no one beat the Archer Queen at what she did best. He took it like a sport however, and it earned him a loving peck on the cheek. If anything, it only made him fall harder for her more than ever.

"Archery never was my strongest proficiency anyway." he told her as he rubbed the back of his neck with a small smile. She chuckled softly and turned to look out of the roof-to-ceiling- window.

She looked down at the courtyard, where people looked like clothed ants as they scuttled about. It had been a nice sunny day, and the sun was lingering on the lower sky above the mountains and treetops, covering Narnia in a light orange hue, and the trees stretched their branches more than usual to be kissed by the sun's warming summer rays.

Caspian leant against a shelf and studied her warmly. Her dark brown hair, almost ebony some days, fell freely down to her waist in soft, shiny waves. Her soft, spotless, milky skin had that ethereal glow to it in the afternoon sunlight, and her cerulean eyes reflected the orange rays. She outshone everything around her. She was beautiful, in both body and soul.

Susan felt Caspian's presence closing in on her and soon he was standing mere inches behind her as he too was gazing down at his land and his people. He gently put his hands upon her bare shoulders. She felt the warmth radiate off him and she sighed contently at the small, yet loving touch. She couldn't help herself but to lean against him, and he leaned his chin against the back of her head, sighing silently.

The King then smiled once more at a sudden thought.

"Do you want to go for a ride?" he murmured in her ear, and she shivered as his warm breath caressed her neck. She leant the side of her head against his, a smile crossing her lips. Caspian's royal duties usually kept him busy throughout the day, and she was delighted that he wished to spend the rest of the afternoon with her.

She turning slightly against his chest before stepping out from his arms and turning around to face him.

"Certainly." she told him, and with a lopsided grin, he rested a hand against the small of her back and guided her past him. Once outside the library, she linked her slender arms around one of his, and together they made their way to the stables.

. . .

Susan chuckled at one of Caspian's remarks, and her sweet laugh rang through the stable hallway as they made their way to the stalls.

Destrier, Caspian's sturdy mount, met his master at the gate of his stall with perked ears and stretched neck. Caspian patted the horse's nose. Realizing he wasn't presented with treats, the stallion smelled the king's shirt and stuck his nose into his fur cape of black wolf that was draped over his shoulders and down his back for treats. Caspian chuckled at his horse's behaviour.

"Lucy's been giving him treats again, I see. He has grown very expectant, he's even become hoggish. Spoiled, you are!" Caspian said fondly, earning him a merry laugh from Susan. She stood on the opposite side of the hallway, and her mare was currently resting her large head against her rider's chest whilst she leisurely stroked the mare's forehead.

"I don't see the trouble in it, being the sweetheart he is," she told him with a warm smile. Caspian tied up his mount.

"Edmund would probably disagree with you there." He told her with a mischievous grin.

"Maybe, but he should have known better than to stand so close to his hooves. Being stepped on by such a big animal isn't very pleasant. Poor Ed hopped around on one leg for an hour!" she said with a laugh as she picked up her mare's bridle.

Caspian laughed at the memory.

They tacked their mounts whilst making small talk and soon enough, they lead their horses outside to the empty courtyard.

As the proper gentleman he was, Caspian was to assist her in mounting, but she had already swung her leg over her mare's broad back, and the horse started to trip with anticipation. The Friesian mare stood with a raised head and she snorted loudly, but Susan calmed her down with a gentle pat on her neck. The horse relaxed, and the Queen sat back in her saddle. She adjusted her own cape of bear fur, which matched her dress, before she met Caspian's gaze. She raised a fine, dark brow at him, and he turned to his steed. He lithely mounted Destrier, but before he could place his foot in the stirrup, his great stallion had made his way over to Susan's mare. He sniffed her curiously. The mare bobbed her head and snorted.

The royals chuckled at their steeds, and Susan looked curiously at Caspian.

"So, where to?" she asked him.

"Wherever the wind blows." He quoted poetically with a toothy smile, and she shortened her reins, ready for departure.

"Lead the way." She told him with a charming smile. Copying her, he tightened his reins and his horse started to walk. He gazed at her as he rode past her, and she turned her mare and followed.

. . .

Once they were away from the castle grounds, they found themselves riding on a forest path, the elm trees and sycamores hovered high above the leaf-covered path. The gentle rays broke through the treetops and brought light on the path before them. They rode side by side in silence, yet it was not an awkward silence. It was peaceful silence, and they enjoyed it thoroughly, after a long day filled with advising, paperwork, meetings with the noble lordships and the like.

A sudden gust of wind blew across their faces, and Susan tipped her head back by the slightest. Her dark chocolate-coloured tresses danced gently in the wind, and she let out a sigh. Caspian admired her natural beauty.

"I've missed this. The peace of it all…" she said as she took in the beauty of the thick, mesmerizing nature around them.

"It mustn't have been easy, living in your world." Caspian stated grievously. Edmund had told him about the war in their world, the devastations, and their separation. It had struck Susan hard, the fact that she had to leave Narnia, and never return. Moreover, when they were all brought back (with Eustace at that), she had mixed feelings and became confused. However, it wasn't until Aslan told them that he had brought them back for a reason, she could let herself live. They had died in their own world, and so they could not return. They _had,_ in fact, outlived the rest of their lives in England and America. The details just never were specified.

"It wasn't. Every day we lived in fear… We didn't know if we were to see our father again. He was a soldier; he had served his duty since the war broke out." She told him. "But we also felt … Lost. There wasn't really much for us in our world, when our hearts secretly belonged here in Narnia," she said, her voice tinted with sorrow at the memory.

"Before we came back for good, I suppose I never really appreciated it all. We will see our parents again someday, but for now, our time is here. We have duties as reigning royals, and I plan to make the best of it," she told him, and her icy gaze met his. He smiled approvingly at her.

"Narnia is at your feet, your highness. Take her with storm. That's exactly what you did 1300 years ago. That is why the people love you, remember and cherish the strong Kings and Queens of Old." Caspian told her honestly. She looked at the ground from her tall horse as she drank in his words.

"The Golden age is over… Now, this is the new Age. It's your Age, Caspian. You've rebuilt a strong country, and gained the respect you so dearly deserve. You took your rightful place and sacrificed so much for the sake of Narnia. You have become a great King. A great man… And I am grateful to him, and for everything that he has done. And, I am quite glad to know him to this day." She added with a beautiful smile. He looked at her besotted, and shot her a weak, but grateful smile.

"Well, I am grateful that you are here at my side. In the end, I wouldn't dream of having it any other way." He told her, and she felt herself grow warm. Touched, she looked away, out between the trees, into the great labyrinth of trees, and she watched the branches swing delicately back and forth in the wind.

They rode forward in blissful silence, simply enjoying each other's company. Caspian spend half the time stealing besotted gazes at the queen. She used one hand to pull her cloak tighter around her shoulders, as the wind started to pick up.

The trees swayed around them, and a certain sycamore shivered at the wind as it tugged at its many branches. It dropped some of its leaves, and both Daughter and Son of Eve looked up. Susan smiled and let some falling leaves caress her high cheekbones as they fell. Some fell on her mare's rump. Caspian brushed his right shoulder free of leaves as they rode through the fall of leaves.

"It's lovely." The Queen stated with such gentleness that the cherry trees along their path copied the sycamore and shrugged. Pale pink leaves fell, but was picked up by the wind and blown their way. The leaves seemed to dance in the wind and the purity of it caught the monarchs' attention. The leaves, softly like petals sent from heaven, made their way over to the Gentle Queen, and encircled her horse as it walked leisurely along. Caspian rode around a birch and met her on the path once more, enthralled by the pink petals. A giggle escaped her lips, and she lifted her hand. The petals were attracted by her laugh, and encircled her slim hand. They kissed her skin with feathery lightness, before making their way around her torso and past her face. They brought whispers with them as the wind brought the petals playfully around her. The wind lifted her dark tresses and cape, before they brushed against her face once more.

Caspian, watching the petals with much envy, could hear the faint whispers brought by the wind.

Susan looked at him, and noticed the look of concentration on his face. If anything, it made him all the more handsome.

"Dryads … The purest of creatures. The very soul of nature." She told him gently as she brought her hand down again. The petals swirled around her with a final whisper before they made their way over to Caspian, encircled him once, and brushed past his short beard. The petals combed through his hair, and the pair could hear a faint female giggle, before the creamy-pink leaves disappeared between the birches.

Susan and Caspian, the latter quite bedazzled, gazed after the sprite they had encountered, before they looked at each other. She offered him a coy smile, and he returned it warmly. Destrier stretched his neck and snorted loudly as he faithfully carried his rider.

"The Gentle Queen, indeed…," he said to her, enthralled by her very being. She cast him a grin with a spark in her eyes, as they rode on.

As they rode along the forest floor, Caspian led his company to a stream. The crystal-clear water was the only thing audible in this part of the forest, as the oak trees grew tall, letting no wind in. The horses' hooves sank down into the green moss, and they stretched their necks downward to drink from the creak. Flapping wings of a single owl could be heard from the branches above their heads. It was peace and quiet as the horses drank.

Susan could feel the weight of Caspian's gaze, and looked up from the spot on her horse's mane that she was currently transfixed upon and into the King's dark brown eyes.

"What?" she asked him self-consciously, but he merely smiled and gently shook his head. She cocked her head at him, but he simply shot her one of her favourite smiles as he nodded onwards.

She gripped a rein and turned her horse around, skipped over the stream and rode on with Caspian quickly in pursuit.

. . .

"Oh… Gorgeous." Susan said a little breathlessly once the couple had managed to ride up the mountain path. Quite steep, yet not treacherous, the path had brought them on level ground to an overlook: the magnificent view of the Narnian Kingdom. The misty mountains lingered in the horizon, whilst the woods surrounded the village around the castle. The roaring river ran like a whisper in their ears, and the sun now hung low on the snow-coated mountaintops.

Susan appeared first over the last top and she turned her horse around a boulder, which revealed an edge of grass and rocks. Small globeflowers and snowbells grew about the grass and danced in the breeze. Trees stood scattered about on the downhill, huddling together in the wind.

It was not entirely cold, yet the sunrays had stooped so low that they no longer brought warmth. They only brought light, but alas, that was all the monarchs needed.

Susan sat on top of her horse admiring the view with her feet out of the stirrups and her reins loose. The mare hung her head as she rested. Susan did not even register her king riding behind her until he halted besides her and admired his kingdom with the same expression on his face.

"It's at times like this I almost can't believe I'm the ruler of these beautiful lands…" Caspian said humbly, and Susan turned her head to look at him. Her silvery eyes studied him.

He had grown into a fine King indeed. Both physically and mentally. Well-built, yet lean, with broad shoulders and muscular chest and arms, Caspian X looked stunning on top of his steed. The breeze caught his dark hair, and the shoulder-length tresses swayed gently. His black cape fluttered in the wind. Caspian was a fine man, and a modest charmer, even if he did not know it.

"No one could be more deserving." Susan told him with nothing but sincerity in her voice. She offered him a smile before she leant forward, gave her horse a pat on the neck, and dismounted. She landed, grabbed her mare's reins, walked to the opposite side, and found that her companion had dismounted as well. He offered to take her reins, and she handed them to him. Their hands grazed, and no matter how small the touch, it always sent sparks through her very being. He led the horses over to a hunched oak, bound them to a branch, and returned to his queen.

They sat down together in front of a fallen log. Caspian leant against it, and with the help of his cape, it made a comfortable seat. Susan sat beside him with crossed legs on her own cape.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and let it out softly. Fresh air always did her good.

"It's been a long time since we last did this." She said as she leant back against the log as well, enjoying the view.

"It has. I'm sorry …," he agreed. She turned to look up at him, and met his gaze. "My duties always seem to occupy my time; we rarely get to spend time like this together." He told her cheerlessly as he raised a hand and stroked her cheek and jaw lovingly.

"You know Narnia and her people come first, Caspian," she told him, though she could not deny the fact that they had not spent as much time as they might have wished for these last weeks. "And besides, with me and Lucy being busy at the orphanage these days, we could practically make ourselves a home in the village and move out of court." She said with a knowing smile. He chuckled.

"I know you're right. I just wish we had more time for ourselves," he said with a coy smile, and her blue eyes turned from his in thought. He studied her for a moment, before gazing out. She suddenly shot her head up.

"I'm sure things will ease up once we have everything settled. There's still lots of restoration going on in the village, you know. Please don't worry about it. It will be alright."

She put one hand on his jaw and his gaze met hers. Her icy blue eyes shimmered with sincerity and warmth, and he, as he had done time and time again, lost himself in them. He leant against her hand as she stroked her thumb across his dark beard.

He sat up and placed two fingers under her chin before he brought her lips to his. She ardently returned his kiss and as it grew deeper, she opened up to him completely. As their tongues wrestled, Caspian's hand had disappeared in her dark hair, only to pull her closer. He smiled into the kiss as a sudden gust of wind caught in their hair. His smile widened even more when she broke the kiss and laughed. He leant his forehead against hers with his hand resting on her neck.

"Sorry, your hair tickles," she told him coyly as she rubbed her cheekbone.

"Well, get used to it," he told her cheekily before capturing her lips once more in a swift kiss.

She hummed against his lips before they tore apart from each other. They merely sat enjoying each other's company for quite a while before Susan pulled back and stood up.

"We should get back, it's getting dark soon. And Aslan knows, Peter will throw a fit if he sees we are late for dinner – again," she said whilst pulling her cape tighter around her.

"Your brother really has no trust in me, has he?" Caspian said with a smirk as he still sat.

"Brothers be brothers. Now, come on." She said as she walked over to the grazing horses. He stood, brushed his pants, and followed.

. . .

A blackbird followed them with his beautiful song, hopping from branch to branch. Susan and Caspian looked up into the trees and admired the bird's ardent song.

"It's been a lovely ride. Thank you." She looked at him and smiled warmly. He bowed his head and returned her smile.

"The pleasure's all mine," he said sincerely. "And, even better, we'll make it before dark."

"Scared of the dark, are you?" she teased. He raised a dark brow and turned her way.

" _You_ were the one insisting on getting back," he challenged with a grin. She faked an offended expression.

"Well, pardon me, had I known you were afraid of the dark, I'd made the suggestion earlier!" she said with a laugh.

"Oh, so that's how you want to play? Alright, don't blame me if some hungry black bear comes to get you." He told her with a chuckle.

"Alright, then you can be the one to face my brothers and tell them of my whereabouts!" She chimed in.

"I'd rather live to see tomorrow!" he said and she chuckled at their bickering. Of the many things she liked about him, the fact that she could laugh with him, was probably one of her favourite things. Moreover, she could be herself.

"Exactly, so behave!" she scolded him playfully.

The royals heard a rustle of leaves up in a heap of moss, dirt and grass against a tree at their left, followed by huffing, scuffling and mumbling.

"By everythin' tha's good… At this hour… Noisy kids n' their…" the voice mumbled to itself.

Caspian shared a look with Susan, and turned his horse towards the heap. Suddenly, a grey porcupine with the most irritated look upon his furry face separated a tuft of grass revealing a hole, supposedly his home.

"Sleep obviously is a luxury 'round here, ain't it? If it ain't the bloody _birds_ singin', it's the wolves. Ain't it the wolves, it's noisy _hooligans_ goin' on with their shenanigans! I'm up early to feed me kids, yet yer _persisting_ on keepin' me up-!" Sleep was still in his eyes as he leant out from the entrance and he rubbed his right eye.

The old porcupine suddenly stopped his bantering as he recognized the Queen's face. She was frequently riding through these parts of the woods, and had most likely met this talking beast before.

"Oh, yer majesty, forgive me, I did nae see ya there!" Susan rode up besides Caspian, who was trying his best not to laugh at the animal's bantering.

"We are desperately sorry for waking you, Mr. Porcupine!" she called up to him. The porcupine yawned loudly before meeting her gaze. Once her blue eyes locked with his, his desire of giving them an earful melted away. He had always been very fond of the queen. What he was not so very fond of however, was being abruptly roused from deep sleep.

"'Mr. Porcupine?' No, no, tha is me Da's name, see? I'm Scuffleclaws, my queen."

"You seem to be distressed, Scuffleclaws!" Caspian told the porcupine, and the creature looked over his shoulder into the hole.

"Well, havin' kids will do that to ya! And wife's expectin' one more this summer!" he chuckled nervously, before looking over his shoulder again. "All of ya, back to your bunks! NO, you can't 'ave more water! Why? _Because tha' means we'll be up in another hour_! Now back to bed! Don't make me call on yer Ma!" the grouchy porcupine ordered his children, before turning back to the royals.

"By tha mane, I need m'self a day off…!" Scuffleclaws moaned, making both Caspian and Susan chuckle.

"Don't you love your family, dear Scuffleclaws?" Susan chimed in, and the spiked creature sagged to the floor with a huff.

"Aye, to bits, but oy, what a menace. I'd happily trade places with ya for a day." He told her half-seriously.

"I'm sure you'd make a lovely queen, friend. Fitting you in a dress would turn out complicated however," Caspian told him cheekily, being unable to resist. This earned him a playful smack on the shoulder from Susan.

"Oh, haw-haw. Yer amusing, m'lord. Now, if ya will excuse me, I need me some precious sleep. Good night, yer majesties." Yawning again, the porcupine popped back into his hole, leaving the grinning monarchs.

"And I thought Peter was a grouch in the morning," Caspian muttered with a grin, resuming their ride homewards to the castle.

"Having to tend a family and an expecting wife, I find that a legitimate excuse to be stressed out. I think I'll take Lucy out and give him a fruit basket later on," she said as they rode on.

He smiled at her kindness.

"I'm sure he'll be grateful," he told her warmly.

The sun had disappeared behind the mountaintops, and darkness was soon creeping in over the lands.

Susan sensed this, and bit her lip as she tightened her reins. Caspian eyed her suspiciously.

"Now, I don't plan to get lost in these woods," she said knowingly, gesturing to the darkening sky. "Catch me if you can!" she challenged over her shoulder, before kicking her horse into a fresh canter. Caspian grinned and slapped the reins on Destrier's neck, urging the mighty steed forward.

He ended up chasing her through the woods as the cool evening mist floated between the woods, hovering above the forest floor as a white blanket.

Her horse now making a changeover to a gallop, the mare flew over every root and rock, her hooves thundering against the soft ground. Leaves on the ground were carried away by the impact of the powerful hooves, and Susan's merry laugh echoed through the woods.

Caspian rode after her tail, a look of concentration etched into his face as he leaned over Destrier's mane. He studied her as she rode her horse brilliantly, and his eyes could not help but travel downwards her body, and rest at her rear as she was standing up in the saddle.

They could now see the castle through the trees, and the moon was rising in the horizon.

Once they were out of the woods, and the stone bridge that would take them over the river and into the village came in sight, Susan sat back in her saddle and slowed her horse down into a fresh trot. Caspian cantered up beside her. The wind had rendered her dark hair looking delicately dishevelled, and her blue eyes shimmered wildly. He was not in a better state himself, and he adjusted his cape as they controlled their breaths and gave their horses free rein. She shared a grin with her king, before reaching down to pat her horse's strong and slightly sweaty neck.

"Winners once again, Iris. Good girl," she cooed to the horse as the two riders continued peacefully up to the castle.

. . .

Two centaurs opened the grand doors for the two royals as they walked in with their capes in hand. Susan giggled as Caspian grinned against her ear, leaning down to whisper sweet nothings in her ear.

A girl of fifteen strolled her way down the grand hall in her emerald dress. She saw her older sister and Caspian in the corner of her eye, and her face broke into a huge grin as she walked down to greet them. Her hair bounced as she made her way over to them.

"There you two are!" she sang, and shared a knowing glance with her sister.

"Yes, although we didn't plan to be so long, we had a lovely ride," Caspian told her whilst casting an affectionate look towards Susan. Lucy beamed even brighter.

"Oh, that's nice! And you came in time to brighten Peter's mood before dinner too, splendid. I swear, he can be such a sore loser at times. King Peter the Magnificent, yeah right. More like, King Peter the Prone to Sulking!" she told them with a chuckle. The couple grinned at her.

"What did he do now?" Susan said as the three started to walk down the hall and further into the castle.

"He lost against Trumpkin in chess, that's what. He's been practicing his tactic for weeks, but to no avail, it seems," she told her as she skipped to Caspian's left side and linked his arm that was not already linked with Susan.

"Well, if it'll notch his ego down, then that's fine by me," Susan chuckled.

"You brushed his ego quite well last week, didn't you Caspian?" Lucy said as she craned her head to meet his mischievous gaze. He looked down to the ground with a grin, as he knew she was referring to the swordfight Caspian had won, much to Peter's dismay.

"I swear, even to this day he gives me a dirty look every time I have a sword at hand," he told them with a small shake of his head. They chuckled at the thought as they made their way downwards.

Lucy soon wriggled free from his arm as she skipped to a side door. She opened the door with a creek, before turning to them once again.

"Now, don't be late for dinner! But you ought to change, you smell of horse, and I don't want Eustace to complain about the unhygienic properties of horses whilst eating." She said heartily.

"Don't worry Lu, we will. Tell the others we will be there in ten," her older sister assured her.

"Great. See you!" she sang as she skipped up the stairs and closed the door behind her.

The two shared a look before they made their way to their chambers.

"She seemed …. Unusually bubbly," Caspian stated with a smile. Susan hummed.

"She has probably talked with Phereus again, she's always chipper around him," she told him warmly. Phereus was a fawn Lucy had grown fond of after her final return to Narnia. He was one of her chamber guards, and after she had bumped into him one day, she found he reminded her of Mr. Tumnus. Lucy, easily making friends, talked to him once on a coincidence, but after that, he grew loyal to her, and often escorts her around, and they developed a strong friendship.

"I'm glad." He hummed.

"Me too. The girl deserves happiness after all she's been through. Out of all of us, even in our world, she was the one who still hoped. She still held faith in Aslan, in Narnia. She held belief that we would all return some day. I admit, I lost hope, but I was not the only one. Peter, constantly blaming himself for everything, built up anger, and was almost unbearable in the end, but I don't blame him. Had we known we would all die in our world in an accident, I suppose it would be different. But we didn't know. We were told we would not return, as you know, all because we had learnt all we could from Narnia, and were sent to outlive our lives in England. Despite the fact we were told we would not return, she hoped. I admire her for that strong belief I never had." She told him, and he looked down at her as they walked. He could see the hurt in her eyes, and she was looking down in ache.

"She has a strength I've never seen in such a young girl. But, the way I see it, her faith is the one that has kept you all together. You are a strong family, and the bond you four share, I have never seen anything like it. Despite everything you have endured, you are all still standing tall and proud today. You deserve all the happiness in the world, all of you," he told her earnestly, and she looked up to meet his loving gaze.

"I know for a fact that I could never have done any of this without any of you, and I'm glad to have you in my life. You are the closest thing I have to family, and that will never change," he told her as they stopped in front of their chamber doors. He turned to face her and she looked up at him lovingly at his words.

"Well, it's not a bummer knowing you either," she told him mischievously. He grinned cheekily and pulled her roughly against his chest. He reached out for a dark tress of hair and caressed it between his fingers.

"Speaking of happiness; I thought of taking a stroll down at the beach after tomorrow morning's audience, would you do me the honour of joining me?" he asked her lovingly, and she beamed up at him.

"With pleasure."

He shared her smile, before grasping her chin and kissing her softly. He leant his forehead against hers and stroked the dark tress behind the shell of her ear before breaking apart with a smile as they went to each of their chambers to prepare for dinner.

The Queen smiled to herself and ghosted her lush lips with her fingers, savouring his touch.

The King, once inside his chambers, ran a hand through his dark mane, taking a deep breath as he spotted the moon rising in the sky.

* * *

 **A/N: There you have it!**

 **I might write more like these in the future, but if I do, I will have them collected here in this story, as I have with my Legolas x Tauriel- ship as well. (Go take a read if you're interested!)**

 **Truthfully, I have been a Suspian-fan since day one, and I am not ashamed one bit. I know there are readers out there who love them just as much as I do, and so, I hope stories like these come to help those who are high on Narnia/Suspian feels.**

 **So, please leave a review, be it constructive or not, I love me some feedback!**

 **Read you later!**

 **The very best,**

 **Dragon**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Back again! I am currently high on Narnia feels (which has not happened in a year or so) and therefore I have returned with another chapter!**

 **I hope you enjoy this (I know I do writing it!) and if you have any questions, feel free to leave one in the reviews or a PM.**

 **Enough of me, go on with your reading, you! x**

* * *

At a day like this, when the sun stood high and hot, where the birds huddled in the trees and sang their beautiful song and the gentle breeze made the leaves rustle and shake, the Gentle Queen found it outrageous to spend the day inside the castle walls. Fresh air, be it hot or cold, always did her good, and was a perfect excuse to spend some time alone with her thoughts.

Or, in this case, a book. She originally sought out a book at the library on newer history of Telmar, but ended up with a book on Woodland sprites, and were now going through a chapter of crossings between naiads and dryads. She did prefer Narnian literature after all. Now, hungry for knowledge, her eyes ravaged every word on every page, being already half-way through the book. She sat on an ancient stone bench in the gardens, surrendered by cherry and apple trees. She could hear the sounds of blackbirds and sparrows in the trees above her head, and the corners of her mouth tugged into a small smile in appreciation. She tilted her head back and looked up at the trees, and found herself looking at two birds preening each other. She sighed lovingly, and enjoyed the warm rays of sun upon her cheeks as she closed her eyes.

The Queen was wearing a cream dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Off-shouldered with long trumpet sleeves, the Queen looked like a part of nature herself. Her dark hair fell down freely in gentle waves and complemented her fair skin and icy blue eyes.

Caught up in her book, she did not hear the footsteps closing in on her.

Good afternoon, your grace," Susan tore herself away from the page she was currently on, and looked in the direction of the voice she knew well.

High King Caspian, tall and graceful, was leisurely walking down to her. Wearing a black jacket with his grey undershirt visible, he looked sublimely royal with black pants and leather boots. His attire complemented his own dark, Telmarine features.

"Hey, you," she said with a smile and a glimmer in her blue eyes and his dark chocolate ones met hers as he sat down beside her on the bench. She closed her book and crossed her legs as she turned to him.

"Found yourself out here, have you?" he asked warmly as he cocked one dark brow. She shifted in her seat as she put down her book at her other side.

"Indeed, it'd be a shame to waste the day inside. Besides, with the entire ruckus going on inside for the ball, I would rather stay out of the way. Lucy practically chased me out to run errands for her," she said with a chuckle. He smiled.

"That girl, I swear," he said with a shake of his head.

"It's perfectly understandable that she wants Edmund's celebration to be perfect, but my word, protest or stand in her way; face the fury of Queen Lucy the Valiant," she laughed at a sudden thought. "'Queen Lucy the Furie' is more like it," she said and grinned to herself.

Caspian looked at her and shared her grin. Her smile was contagious, and his eyes rested at her lips. He caught himself look at her plump lips several times throughout every day. Moreover, he knew for a fact how tasty and tempting they were. They locked eyes for a private moment, before Susan looked away and shifted in her seat again. Her knee brushed against his thigh as she looked at him expectantly.

"So, what are you doing out here?" she asked him and he let out a small sigh.

"Avoiding your brother. Like Lucy, he is not his oh so cheery self today," he explained with a lopsided smile.

"Peter, cheery? You're funny," she scoffed humorously.

"Oh, I meant Edmund, actually," he said ardently. Her dark brows deepened into a frown.

"Edmund?"

"Mhm. I think these celebrations and preparations for the ball is stressing him out. And I can think of one particular reason why, actually," he told her. She looked at him expectantly.

"I was witnessing a proposition given to him from Lord Alto the other day."

"A proposition? What kind?" she asked as her frown deepened.

"Marriage. To his fairly young niece, who is to be crowned duchess in not too long," he said. Susan studied his face as he spoke, but his face did not reveal any feelings towards the matter. Only sympathy towards Edmund.

"Marriage?" she asked wide-eyed as she bent a little forward towards him. He chuckled at her distressed state.

"Not to worry. He let Lord Alto know that he was not interested in marrying anyone any time soon. And not very calmly, I might add," he told her ardently.

"Oh, God, you almost scared me there for a moment," she said as she ran a hand through her hair. He chuckled warmly.

"I think the lord actually apologized for offering in the first place," he told her humorously, and she laughed merrily at his remark. A shiver ran down his spine at her laugh, and he joined in and they ended up looking at each other yet again. He had wondered many a time if he had ever looked upon something more precious than her.

"In any case, I don't hope Ed is the first to marry out of all of us."

"Even in your world?" he asked her. She merely shook her head.

"He never paid any interest in the girls in England. He was going through a tough time, and with our father not around as much as he would like, he had his mind on different things. But now that we're here to stay, I think his dark thoughts will vanish in time," she told him lovingly, and he smiled in agreement.

"From what I heard from Peter, he had a hard time chasing suitors in both of your worlds," he said cheekily, and she chuckled as her gaze went to a flower on the ground.

"I suppose. According to Edmund, it made for good sport," she said with a grin. However, her smile soon faded as she walked down the memory lane. "I almost made a mistake once, I didn't plan on making that again, and thankfully, Peter supported that." Now it was his turn to frown. She noticed his confusion and sat back to look at him.

"I was _almost_ married, once." She told him cheerlessly. He noticed the sudden distant look in her eyes change, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Lucy told me. It's okay, we don't have to talk about it," he told her reassuringly with a comforting smile as he took her hand that was resting on the bench in his. He placed a devoted kiss upon it, never breaking eye contact, and rested their hands in his lap.

The memory of Rabadash and how he nearly forced himself on her had faded over the years, and she was ready to love again, but all she wanted was to forget all about it. It was a mere scar, and she could not help but think that maybe Caspian would be the one to heal it.

She smiled at his loving gesture, and felt his thumbs caress the skin on the back of her hand.

"So, what about you? Ladies must have swarmed at court. I mean, they still are to this day," she asked him, going back to their original subject.

"I never were interested in any of the ladies at court. For three years, the counsellors have been suggesting that I marry, for Narnia and myself, but frankly, I don't think an arranged marriage would do the trick," he said as he looked out into the gardens. She looked at him thoughtfully, but let him continue. "Especially not when ones heart lies with someone else," he added softly and met Susan's gaze. She sent him a beautiful smile, feeling herself melt at his declaration.

"You say that as if you've already chosen," she said with a gentle smile. He lowered his gaze.

"That's because I have. Guess who?" he told her as he looked at her intensely. She bent forward and cupped his jaw, caressing his dark beard that she had grown incredibly fond of.

"Oh really?" she murmured knowingly. He hummed in response, his forehead resting against hers. She smiled as he leant in for a kiss. Their lips brushed against each other before a familiar shout appeared from around a corner.

"Susan! Su, there you are, we- oh!" Lucy said excitedly before she came to a sudden halt. She gasped at having interrupted a moment, and Susan and Caspian both broke apart. Their eyes landed on Lucy as she blushed.

"Sorry…" she began with an embarrassed smile. Susan gave her a small reassuring smile.

"It's alright Lu. What is it?" she asked her little sister. Lucy brightened up as their blue gazes locked.

"If you're not too, err, busy at the moment, we need to get our dresses at the seamstress. We need to pick up Eustace's attire too," she told her older sister, fidgeting a little with her blue dress.

Susan shared a brief apologetic look with Caspian before she grabbed her book and stood. Her hand slipped from his as she started to walk towards her sister. However, she came to a stop deciding to do something she normally did not do in front of her siblings. She bit her lip as she turned back again. Caspian look at her confusedly as she returned, but he soon smiled as she stood between his knees and bent down. She stroked his neck as she placed a soft and loving kiss on his lips. He returned it until she briefly pulled away.

"We'll finish this later," she murmured sensually before she pecked him on the nose and straightened up. She made her way over to a grinning Lucy and she cast him a flirtatious look over her shoulder as they walked off, leaving a very dazed Caspian.

The High King realised three things; one, he was not able to register anything after Susan's promise that they would finish whatever they had started later, therefore he did not catch what Lucy was shouting to him. Two, he would have a hard time at the audiences later that day, as her throne was stood just besides his. And three, if she looked at him with those silvery blue eyes of hers in _that_ _certain_ _way_ any time soon, he could not be held responsible for his actions.

Aslan preserve him.

* * *

 **A/N: This is shorter, I am aware, but I had to get it out of my head somehow! Hopefully, I will be haunted with new ideas!**

 **I hope you enjoyed, and if you have any feedback for me, please leave a review! X**

 **Take care, my lovelies.**

 **Dragon**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hullo there, my lovelies! Another update, and even though this one took time (my apologies) I hope you like it!**

 **Thank you for the lovely reviews! I shall answer some of them here:**

 ** _bon_** **: Yes, I update along as I find inspiration to write, and I won't give up on this. Definately not. The day I do, look for the 'complete'-tag on the story x**

 ** _Kylie & Suspianfan_** **: I have had different stories and scenes stuck in my head for a while, especially a rated M-scene. I've decided to go along on that one, and even though I value your input and suggestions, I will draft my own idea for now, and if I'm happy with it, I'll publish. I hate to go against my readers, but sometimes, I have to decide what is best for my stories. Out of all the suspian-fanfictions I've read (a lot) nearly all of them contained a (mild) lemon, after their wedding. I want my stories to stand out, and therefore I will write my own take on such a scene. I will try and not disappoint you, but you can relax and find calm in the fact that it won't be out yet. Have patience, and for now, enjoy this silly little scene!**

 **Alrighty, that's enough from me, and on with the story!**

 **Sit back and enjoy!**

* * *

"Keep your guard up, Ed!" Peter shouted across the clashing of blades as he watched a duel between his younger brother Edmund and Caspian some distance away. Edmund and Caspian's eyes were locked as they came at each other with their swords, sparring, blocking and attacking as they went. Edmund dropped his guard a moment too soon, and Caspian grasped the opportunity and attacked him from above, forcing him backwards. Edmund staggered back as he attempted to block Caspian's powerful attacks the best he could. Peter, however, noticed his brother were struggling. Edmund was an excellent swordsman, but he were still in his teenager body, resulting in less muscle force compared to Caspian's grownup body. And quite frankly, Caspian had put on a lot of muscle these last four years, whereas Edmund had attended school in England, with no opportunity whatsoever to pick up a sword.

Whilst pondering, he saw Edmund fall down onto his back on the grass with a heavy _thump!_ Losing his sword in the process, he let out a discouraged groan. The tip of Caspian's sword was pointing down at him.

"I win," Caspian said with a grin as Edmund rolled his eyes with a scoff.

"Does his majesty want a medal?" he answered sarcastically, but couldn't help but share Caspian's grin when the latter offered him a hand to pull him up. Peter walked down to them and gave his younger brother a pat on the back.

"You'll get there, Ed," he told him ardently with a smile. Edmund brushed his pants.

"I feel betrayed by my own body," he told them, nodding down to his lank and lean body and Peter crossed his arms across his firm chest.

"I suppose travelling between two worlds and time will do that to you!" Peter said, earning him a sour look from Edmund. Edmund definitely didn't appreciate being thrown back and forth from adult to youngster.

"Well, I'm glad _that's_ over," Edmund told them honestly, knowing that Peter was glad to be home as well. In the end, Narnia was their home, and even though they had family in England, they could never go back, and was satisfied with the knowledge that they would meet again someday in Aslan's Country.

"That makes two of us," Peter agreed.

"Three," Caspian chimed in as he grabbed a goblet of water, and the three Kings smiled warmly.

The royals had spent the day out in the training fields, away from the last preparations in the castle, and made merry with sword practise and the like. The three boys were not too far away from a large, open group tent in the colour of red and Narnian markings.

They all sated their thirst with a goblet of water from the tent and made their way back out to enjoy the sun.

"How do you feel about tomorrow, Ed?" Peter asked, looking directly at him with piercing blue eyes.

"Nauseated. Well, in a good way ... I think. Oh, I don't know. I enjoy these balls just as much as you do, but don't you think it's a big fuss over nothing? I mean, going from 17 to 18 – again - isn't that grand," Ed told them as he sheathed his sword. Caspian lowered his goblet from his lips.

"Nonsense, Ed. You deserve it, and you sister has planned this for weeks. You don't want to disappoint her, do you? Besides, considering you have turned 18, King Edmund the Just, first of his name, shall have this day to be cherished and celebrated, everything in his honour," Caspian told him sincerely, and Peter gave his brother a look of agreement.

"Well, when you put it that way," he said with a grin. Peter nudged his shoulder before they took a big gulps from their goblets.

"Speaking of sisters, where's Lucy and Susan?" Edmund asked his fellow kings, as they had split up earlier that day.

"Lucy is here!" a female called from behind the tent. The three boys looked towards the voice and saw Lucy trotting their way, rounding the tent. She stopped her bay gelding with black mane before the Kings with her usual smile across her naturally pink lips.

"Good day, gentlemen," she told them with twinkling eyes.

"Lost Eustace on your way, did you?" Peter asked her half-seriously, as she had rode off with Eustace earlier that day to make him accustomed to horse riding out in the terrain. She frowned before looking behind her. She turned in the saddle even further.

"Eustace, come on! You're not supposed to let him graze!" she called from behind her, and soon they saw another horse, a white sturdy one with gray mane trot along with perked ears to join them. Eustace looked uncomfortable in the saddle, as he humped not too graciously up and down. He pulled the horse into an abrupt stop, if not a little unsteadily.

"Well, hadn't he been so strong, I wouldn't have let the nag graze either!" Eustace told her as he shifted uncomfortably in the black leather saddle and pulled the horse's head back up as it attempted to graze once more.

"I see you've come along!" Caspian told the boy, hinting to his first riding lesson, where he had practically flown through the air as the horse had thrown him off for pulling his reins and kicking him too hard. Edmund and Peter snickered at the memory. Eustace truly earned respect for horses that day.

"Indeed, you even managed to stay in the saddle this time," Edmund noted, making Eustace grimace at him.

"Oh, hilarious, cousin, truly," he responded, once again pulling the horse's head up.

"Don't mind them, Eustace. I think you are doing great! Edmund didn't look too good in the saddle on his first lesson, either. Poor Philip must've felt uncomfortable with you humping like a bag of potatoes on his back!" Lucy said with a laugh, and Edmund frowned at her. The boys looked at him expectantly.

"Well, he did express his discomfort and told me off … Frequently," he told them as he crossed his arms. They all laughed as they tried to visualize it.

"So, where's Susan?" Lucy asked as the laughter died down.

"Down at the archery range. She said she was going mounted this time. Mentioned something about being out of shape," Peter told her as he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb, and Lucy looked between her horse's ears and over their heads, seeing the horseback archery range emerging out from the woods further down the field. The woods were a part of half the range, whilst the other half ended in more challenging targets out in the field. She could spot the target plates, with red-tipped arrows in them. Her sister had probably gone through the range more than once that day.

"She's not too out of shape it seems," Lucy told them as she noticed Susan had hit each one in the centre, not a single target missing. Soon, the royals heard the sounds of thundering hooves from a distance, and as they listened, the High Queen herself rode out from the woods on her horse in a powerful gallop.

"Look!" Lucy exclaimed, and they all turned towards the range. They saw Susan preparing an arrow and not many seconds later, fired it gracefully into a plate. Her dark hair was up in a messy bun, and her quiver was fastened at the saddle behind her thigh. Eustace gasped at the glorious sight, and he had to admit, his cousin looked positively deadly with her bow.

Caspian smiled as the Queen released an arrow as she twisted delicately in the saddle. Her brows where furrowed in concentration and her full lips pursed. He found that he could watch her do what she did best all day. She was like a deadly storm, yet so blindingly beautiful.

Susan notched a new arrow and hit another red target plate with a _THUCK!_ Grasping two arrows from her quiver, she took one between her lips as she quickly readied the other. She pulled the powerful bowstring back before immediately releasing it. She then proceeded to take the arrow she had between her lips and fire it off, hitting the last and almost too sudden, target plate. The arrow hit with such force that the entire tip broke through the backside of the thick wooden plate. The old arrow fell down to the grass in splinters as the new arrow vibrated at the impact.

Having finished the round, Susan lowered her bow, grasped the reins and sat back in the saddle. She slowed the horse down into a canter, patting her neck with a bright smile. Lucy called on her sister and waved her arm over her head to get her attention. Susan noticed, and turned her horse upwards towards her family.

Caspian, Peter and Edmund stepped back as she cantered up to them, halting the raven black, panting horse before them. She was equally breathless as she loosened the reins and patted the horse's sweaty neck.

"Nice round!" Lucy complimented with a bright smile.

"Thanks. I missed the last one in the first round, had to go again," she said between breaths with a smile. She slumped in the saddle as she unfastened the quiver and dropped it together with her bow on the ground.

"Out of shape, I see?" Edmund teased, and she shot him a glare.

"Shamefully so, yes, I admit I am," she told him as she untightened the leather strap that held her hair back (barely anymore) and let her thick hair fall down to her waist in dishevelled waves. She briefly met Caspian's gaze with a smile, making him swallow. He returned to his goblet to prevent himself from saying something that would earn him a fist to the face from Peter.

"And yet you completed the range without a single miss. I don't see the problem here, cousin," Eustace said as he looked at her from atop his horse. He still had to look _up_ at her however, as she had the tallest horse, not to mention the heaviest.

"The _problem_ here, Eustace, is that I ought to be in better shape. And you shouldn't let that horse graze," she reminded him with a twinkle in her eyes. Eustace groaned as he pulled his horse up again. The horse did not seem to mind as he was chewing happily on a mouthful of grass. The others laughed merrily at the sight.

"Maybe your age is catching up on you, Su," Edmund challenged with a smirk, and she shot him a faked expression of offence.

"Why, I can say the same to you, brother. Couldn't even beat Caspian in a sword match, tut-tut," she told him and shot him an innocent smile. Edmund frowned, making the others chuckle. Caspian, standing by her mare's shoulder, looked up at the female rider.

"Saw that, did you?" he asked her with a toothy smile.

"Mhm. You had him good there, well done," she said as she smiled down at him proudly.

"Thank you, new technique. I call it 'knock Ed down before he knows what hit him'," he told her as he crossed him arms across his chest, making them all laugh.

"That was a dirty move," Edmund argued humorously.

"Says the one who deliberately knocked my arrow off course the other day!" Susan said disapprovingly, only making Edmund's grin widen.

"You were going to win anyways, why couldn't I have some fun whilst losing?" he asked her, and she shook her head at him.

"Because it's wrong. Cheaters never prosper, you know," she told him with a small grin.

"How can I prosper when you're supposedly the best archer in the entire kingdom?" he asked her wickedly, making his older sister sigh in exasperation.

"You can still be an honest player, Ed" she told him. He snorted.

"That isn't a privilege when I'm shooting against my sister, the _Archer_ Queen."

"Cheater."

"Smart-arse."

"Alright you two, you are giving me a headache!" Peter exclaimed as he shared in their grins. Caspian, Eustace and Lucy were trying the best they could to keep a straight face. But as they looked at each other, they laughed merrily once more.

"Do you see what I have to deal with, here?" Peter asked Caspian light-heartedly with a sideways smile as he gestured towards his bickering siblings, making Caspian chuckle and scratch the back of his neck.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied honestly with a lopsided smile.

Lucy and Susan grinned at each other before Lucy spoke:

"Perhaps you would indulge me in dagger throwing, Su?"

"I would, if I was certain you wouldn't graze my head with a knife this time," she responded cheekily.

"Oh, come on, that was one time! Are you calling me a bad shot, dear sister?" Lucy asked, making her snicker.

"You said it, not I!" she responded, making Lucy tightening her reins suspiciously.

"Oh yeah? Well, come over here and I'll show you who's a bad shot!" Lucy told her.

"You'd have to get me first!" Susan told her whilst shortening her reins and turned her horse the opposite way. Caspian made way for the big animal.

"Come here, you! Oh, I'll get you! Get her, Dash!" Lucy shouted to her horse and urged it forward. "Keep dreaming!" Susan shouted over her shoulder, already riding away from her in a fresh gallop, standing up in the saddle.

The girls' laughter could be heard throughout the fields as Lucy chased her across it, leaving the boys laughing at the sight. Eustace's old gelding were more taken with the grass under his hooves rather than running after his comrades, much to his rider's relief.

Susan's horse galloped across the field, tearing up grass with its hooves as it went. Lucy, even though struggling to keep up, had a big twinkling smile upon her lips.

They changed course and raced up to their family.

Susan got there first and patted her mare's neck gratefully.

"Just you wait, I'll get you some day," Lucy told her with a mischievous grin as she trotted down beside her sister. The two horses hung their heads as they started lipping at each other.

"Whatever you say," Susan said breathlessly. "Now, come on, I'll throw daggers with you," Lucy's older sister said before they rode down to the range.

"Don't be late, girls! I think I will head up. I promised Bellwether I would get my clothes fitted for tomorrow," Peter told them whilst picking up his sword.

"Have fun with that. We'll be back soon." Susan called back.

"Good. Now, come on, Eustace!" Edmund called back to his cousin, before the three Kings made their way up to the castle. Eustace however, was having troubles pulling his horse away from the tuft of grass on the ground. Cursing the animal, he used all his strength to receive the horse's attention, but to no avail.

Caspian came to his rescue, bent down to grab the horse's reins, and pulled the animal up and forward.

"Thank you," Eustace thanked him with a sigh as he slumped in the saddle and let Caspian lead the horse up to the stables.

On their way, they could hear Lucy's triumphant cry, and they saw the two sisters standing side by side as they threw daggers in turn with their horses grazing not too far off.

* * *

 **A/N: Alrighty, this did not turn out as I visualized in the beginning. A somewhat meaningless one-shot I suppose, but I will post it anyway, as it is a "family"-moment for my beloved characters.**

 **I hope you liked it, and the next one will evolve around Edmund's birthday party! I apologize for the late delay, and hopefully it won't be long before I update once again.**

 **So, please leave a review if you want improvements (I aspire to become a better writer, despite English not being my mother tongue). I heart all of my readers, and know that I am grateful for every favourite, follower and review!**

 **Have a great weekend, and until next time, take care!**

 **Dragon x**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Back once again! I had some troubles with this chapter, and I hope you can forgive my delay. Also, I've been on vecay, so I haven't had any time to write. Sorry about that, but I'll try to prioritize writing from now on!**

 **Enough from me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter nevertheless! X**

 **Happy reading, lovelies!**

* * *

The slow, lazy waves hit softly against the shore and licked the sand before disappearing into the open ocean. The water surrounding (the now rebuilt) Cair Paravel sparkled and reflected the evening sunrays as the orange sun lingered in the sky. The seagulls exchanged cries between themselves, drifted against the warm air, and leisurely flapped their wings as the sunlight kissed their feathery backs.

 _A fine evening, indeed_ , the Valiant Queen thought as she closed the doors to her chambers and made her way down the hall whilst enjoying the view outside the windows. The tall windows allowed the rays to light up the castle in a golden hue as a reminder of nightfall's ascent. Some maidens had already busied themselves igniting the torches on the walls before they would return to their duties in the ballroom. Lucy nodded towards the maidens with a toothy smile as they curtsied.

As she walked, she could only hear the sound of her heels tapping firmly against the stone floor. She found her shoes rather high heeled, as it had been a long time since she last wore shoes alike the ones she did now. Though luxurious and beautiful, they were nothing in comparison to her dress. Golden, with embroideries of cream-coloured flowers climbing from the skirt of her dress up to the front of the dress, she looked every bit the Queen of Old. The A-line skirt, also embroidered, flowed down her legs and followed her as she drifted across the floor. The golden colour of the beautiful gown harmonized with her auburn mane, and she had plaited her hair at the sides away with a golden flowery vein. Her ocean eyes sparkled even more than the heavy, yet delicate jewellery she wore, and her excitement could light up the darkest abyss.

She had been looking forward to this evening for a long time, and she knew Edmund would enjoy himself as well, despite his moaning about her 'making a big fuss over nothing'.

As she passed the corner, she spotted said brother standing with Peter, who wore a big smile and patted his back brotherly. She squealed before she skipped over to them and gave them both a big hug.

"You both look so dashing!" she exclaimed before latching herself onto Edmund's arm as she congratulated him on his eighteenth birthday (for the second time that day). They returned her compliments. The two were simply awed by their baby sister's beauty. She truly was growing up.

Peter, in his cream trousers, chocolate tunic with lighter, delicate embroidery and brown leather boots, looked stunning as he rested his left hand on his sword Rhindon, now strapped against his side in its red sheath. His sandy hair was combed neatly with a gentle curl and he was clean-shaven for the occasion.

Birthday boy or not, Edmund too had dressed for the occasion: he wore black pants and boots with a silver tunic and a discrete darker fencing cape, fastened with a silver needle shaped like the head of a lion. He looked like the Just King with a toothy grin upon his naturally pink lips. His hair was always messy with curls, but he had with much effort managed to tame it tonight. The youthful look suited him. Lucy smiled adoringly at her brothers as she admired their attires, and it was then she noticed they were one King short.

"Where's Caspian?" she asked them, before looking down the hall leading to his quarters in hope of spotting him.

"Oh, he'll be around. Funny, I thought you and I were slow with our outfits, Pete," Edmund told his brother mischievously.

"Indeed. I left Mister Sassy-pants still fiddling with his attire some time ago; he should be finished by now. Well, _hopefully_ ," Peter said with a grin, earning a chuckle from his brother.

"Who are you calling Sassy-pants?" a voice from behind them asked. Lucy turned and saw Caspian coming their way, making her smile grow wider. He stopped beside Edmund and returned her smile.

"Oh, no one." Peter claimed innocently, but his grin gave him away. Caspian cocked a dark brow, but smiled at him nevertheless.

"Right. I see you gave up on your incoming beard," Caspian told him, hinting towards his jaw. Peter had grown light stubble some time ago, and he had been constantly frustrated with the very fact that it would not grow thicker. However, he had stopped shaving whilst living in the joy of growing a beard (again). Peter sighed in frustration.

"Yes, I realised not everyone can grow a magnificent beard like you," Peter told him, and Caspian ran his fingers through his own short beard that suited him so, looking down at the floor with a grin.

"You'll get there, Peter. Just give it some time … Or years," she told him. He groaned and shook his head, making his company laugh.

"I never was one to grow facial hair. Shame that." Edmund chimed in, resulting in his younger sister letting out a small chuckle.

"Yeah, we noticed that in the Golden Age," she mocked, and he scowled lovingly at her.

"Very funny," he said with obvious sarcasm.

"But why did you keep it after the voyage, Caspian? I mean, I realize you wouldn't want to shave on a ship, and _not that it doesn't suit you_ , but did you ever consider shaving again?" Lucy turned to Caspian, and he crossed his arms across his chest as he looked at her.

"I did, but then I remembered the agony of having to shave frequently: we are talking every morning. There's also the fact that being 21 and clean-shaven doesn't really serve as kingly imagery. Besides, your sister talked me out of it," he told her with a smile.

"Speaking of which, when did Susan plan on getting along? She hasn't forgotten about tonight has she?" Peter asked with a snicker.

"Hardly. The last I saw, she was back from a ride and told me she couldn't stop to talk as she needed to take a bath and get ready." Lucy said as she brushed a strand of hair away from her face. She then sighed: "Not that she really needs to _try_ to look breathtakingly beautiful. That's an ability I wish I had," she said softly in a dreamy voice.

"Nonsense, Lucy. You look very beautiful," Caspian reassured her, and she gave him a big smile.

"Thank you! You look very handsome yourself!" she told him.

It was true: he wore a strikingly royal tunic, a deep burgundy one with golden trimmings and patterns. With brown trousers and black leather boots, he looked radiant. The sides of his thick shoulder-length mane of dark, wavy hair was pulled back to the back of his head, leaving a few rebellious strands of hair hanging around his face. The look complimented his dark beard, tan skin and chocolate eyes.

"And I know you will absolutely love Su's dress, she's simply bewitching!" Lucy told them, before discreetly giving Caspian a wink.

"Do I smell suitor-hunting tonight, Pete?" Edmund said knowingly to his older brother with a lopsided grin that complimented the mischief sparkling in his eyes.

"You smell correct," Peter confirmed and bumped fists with his brother in a humorous manner.

"I think you can leave that to Caspian, boys," Lucy told them with a giggle as she noticed the expression on his face. Her brothers raised their arms in faked surrender.

She smiled at them, before she spotted a female figure coming around the corner behind them. She soon broke into a smile as she noticed her older sister ghosted across the floor with a gentle sway of her hips. She smiled gently towards her sister.

"Hello there, gorgeous!" Lucy exclaimed as her smile widened. The boys turned.

"Same to you, dearest. Truly, Lu, you look like a dream!" Susan told her sister with a tender smile and sparkle in her eyes as she made the last of her way down to her fellow Queen and Kings, coming to a stop between Peter and Caspian.

"You never cease to surprise, sister," Peter complimented her, and she returned his smile as she fiddled with her necklace.

"A sight for sore eyes, indeed," Edmund chimed in.

"A vision," Caspian told her passionately as he admired her in all her beauty. He met her gaze and she beamed as she truly appreciated his compliment.

"Why thank you, you're all too kind," she replied modestly with a small smile. Caspian could not tear his eyes away from her as she stood there beside him. She could pass for a goddess for all he knew.

Susan's dress was that of pure white, slightly transparent, like dew or mist on the outer layer, whilst the inner layers was entirely white, the whiteness alike the clouds. Slightly off-shouldered, the bodice hugged her torso and breasts perfectly, and had silver trimmings. It was tightened at either side of her ribs, leaving the skirt flowing freely down from her waist to her feet. The skirt had a delicate flare, as it was a one-pieced dress. The light grey girdle belt with silver patterns around her waist matched the wavy silver embroideries on the front of her dress and the silver necklace she wore. All together with the dragging, trumpet sleeves, the dress complimented her natural beauty. With a circlet of silver flowers braided into her gently curled hair, her dark tresses hung loose to the small of her back. With glossy lips and oiled eyelashes, she felt quite … _Narnian._

Noticing his sister and Caspian locked eyes, almost intimately so, Peter cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention.

"Now that we're all here, shall we make merry? I'm sure Eustace is waiting for us along with Professor Cornelius." Peter stated as he shifted his feet.

"Yes, you always did enjoy a grand entrance," Susan told her older brother as she linked arm with Caspian at her side. Peter scowled at her, but nevertheless, walked in after Caspian and Susan together with his younger brother and sister.

Two centaurs opened the large doors for the royals, and as they entered the ball room filled with people of many a kind, they were met with applause. The people made way for the royals as they entered the room, and whilst Susan greeted people with a smile, she could not help but admire the decorations of the room.

 _Lucy did put much effort in this_ , she thought as she let her eyes drift from the golden and green veins of ivy on the columns to the glass roof. The floor reflected every flare of every dress and the tapping of every shoe and paw or hoof, and the room was filled with gentle music and merry laughter and voices. The dancefloor was currently empty, but from the colour on some men's faces, it looked like they had already participated in dancing. Servants walked about and around groups of guests as they carried trays of both food and wine. The chandeliers, decorated with golden bands and ivy wreathes, were lit high above their heads, and together with the sunlight penetrating through the glass roof, it made the room glow in a golden hue.

The royals made their way over to their fellow friends, who stood there with smiles on their faces.

"We have been awaiting you, your majesties," The short and plump professor said with a smile behind his whitening beard. Caspian clasped forearms with his beloved advisor.

"I can tell!" Caspian said as a group of lords and ladies had already flocked around Edmund some distance away, and they could see him clasp hands with several of the lords.

"Edmund is going to have a busy night," Susan stated with a chuckle.

"He'll be fine; it's nothing he hasn't done before. Now, Trumpkin, let us fill our goblets!" Peter reassured her, before he turned to the dwarf at his side in royal garments. He hummed in agreement, before walking off with Peter. That left Lucy, Susan and Caspian together with Professor Cornelius and Eustace. Lucy turned to her cousin and expectantly clasped her hands together.

"How do you like your first ball, Eustace?" she asked her cousin with a bright smile, and he met her gaze shyly.

"Well, the Professor's been introducing me to so many people, I can't even remember who's Lord, or who's Duke or Duchess! How do you do all of this?" he asked rhetorically with a heavy sigh. The foursome chuckled at him.

"You will remember most of them once you attend more of the council meetings, and believe me, once you meet people often enough, even for the smallest, infuriating little thing, you will remember faces. Give it time and let it sink in, Eustace," Caspian told the young boy, and he nodded as he met his friend's gaze.

"Lord Etesian is an interesting character, though," the young boy said, as he spotted the middle-aged lord with short wavy hair and goatee some distance away with a goblet of wine in his hand: one of the many faces he had met that evening.

"Ah, yes. He provides us with grain from his estate, highly valuable, and you might spot him in court from time to time. He is also investing in the spice-trade, so whatever you do; don't ever bring up 'peppers' in any form of conversation." Caspian told Eustace with a sparkle in his eyes.

"It sounds like you're speaking out of experience," Lucy told him with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Indeed. I don't quite prefer listening to his on-goings about spice and all its properties when there are other important matters to attend. I had to excuse myself once, not very convincingly I might add, after conversing for half an hour about the grinding process of herbs into spices."

The small group laughed at the image, having even Eustace laughing along.

"I shall keep that in mind," he assured him with a chuckle. Lucy smiled at her younger cousin, before a thought struck her.

"Oh, Eustace, have you danced yet?" she asked him.

"How could I, I don't know the Telmarine dances, and definitely not the ancient Narnian ones," he told her. Lucy straightened up as she grabbed his hand.

"Right. Come along then!" she told her younger cousin as she led him away, intending to teach him. Caspian, Susan and the Professor glanced after them with a laugh.

"How's the studying going along, Professor?" Caspian asked. The half-dwarf nodded and pushed his glasses further up his nose. He had personally offered to tutor him in the different subjects like Narnian and Telmarine geography and history before Eustace would be dubbed a lord, knowing the royals would be too busy with important matters to help him themselves.

"Very well, my liege. It is enjoyable to teach again, I must say - especially such a bright boy as himself," Cornelius told them honestly.

"Good. I hope he's not bringing you too much trouble," Susan told the old man.

"Oh, none at all, my Queen. He's a fast learner - a good boy, indeed," he answered truthfully, and the shimmer in his eyes made her smile.

"Thank you, Professor," she said gently and clasped his arm tenderly. He blushed behind his beard, and he nodded with his eyes to the ground.

"Well then, I hope you are otherwise enjoying yourself?" Caspian asked the man.

"Yes, thank you, my boy, it is good for these old bones to stretch a bit and get out of the study." He answered truthfully and put his hands together on his round stomach.

"Couldn't agree more! Wine, Professor?" Peter exclaimed very suddenly as he returned with a goblet in each hand. The old man gratefully accepted the goblet he was offered.

"You've already started making your own merry, I see?" Susan told her brother, as he took a swig from his goblet.

"We're at a ball, aren't we?" he said, only making her sigh.

"Drink till you bottle over for all I care, but please don't make me carry you out of the very ballroom ever again." She warned her older brother, who scoffed at the image he for some reason could not remember.

"It was _one time_ , and frankly, it wasn't that bad," he defended himself, making her drop her jaw as she eyed him incredulously.

"'Not that bad'? Peter, you were singing 'The Green Dragon' at the top of your lungs!" she told him, resulting in both Cornelius and Caspian bursting out in laughter.

"Oh, to be young again," Cornelius muttered to himself as he watched the wonderful people before him. Peter cleared his throat and turned to Caspian.

"Caspian, there was a certain Captain that wanted to see you."

"Right. I will see you later, Professor." He told his former teacher.

"Save a dance for me, will you?" Caspian murmured to Susan as he passed her shoulder. She nodded and offered him a smile, which he returned. He found her hand and brought it up to his lips, placing an affectionate kiss upon it before he left with Peter into the crowds behind her. She gazed after him with a small smile upon her lush lips, and Cornelius noticed the young Queen's longing gaze. His voice however, made her turn to him.

"I must admit, my Queen, the King has been nothing but happy since your return. Your presence has lifted his spirit, and it warms an old man's heart who knew his father before him, to know that he aspires to be the king Narnia needs and have missed for so many years," he told her wisely. He looked at her over the rim of his spectacles and met her silvery blue gaze.

"We watched as he rightfully claimed his throne; moreover, we have seen what he has accomplished throughout these last years. Peace throughout Narnia … I almost couldn't believe the truth of it, that there was peace in the entire realm. Yet he managed to make it so … I don't think Narnia has ever had a more devoted King than the one I know today. He's a fine King," Susan told the elderly scholar.

"That he is. I have watched him grow over the years, but I also saw the loneliness that haunted him."

"He's lost so many…" she said, her voice tainted with sorrow. Caspian had lost his mother at a young age, and later his father. His uncle, having murdered him in cold blood, rendering him parentless, made sure he would be cared for by nannies and the Professor. Even though he found a father figure in Cornelius, Caspian had known other losses too. Susan thought it unfair, but it made her grateful all the same that he had grown up into such a caring man, full of love and life, a man who loved his people and kingdom.

"Yes, unfortunately he has suffered many losses … But he has found solace in you and your family. Narnia is thrilled over the unity of the Kings and Queens of old, together with Caspian X."

"We're happy to be together again." Susan told him with a weak smile. He returned her smile knowingly. They stood in silence as they watched the different people of many races in the room. After a peaceful while, Cornelius spoke yet again.

"And I do believe he has found solace with you, my Queen," he told her warmly. He shot her a knowing look that only an old, wise man could have. Her eyes drifted to the ground and her lips tilted up into a shy smile. She licked her lips and opened her mouth to answer when a young lady dressed in gold bounced their way.

"Su, the fauns have requested a dance with us, come on!" she told her sister with a bright smile as she tugged at her arm. Susan laughed as she was practically dragged away by her exited sister.

"We'll speak again soon, Professor!" she called over her shoulder, leaving the old man chuckling whole-heartedly at the sight.

An old Narnian, fast-paced folk song began to play _(I recommend listening to "Fear No Darkness" from Adrian Von Ziegler_ ), and twelve fauns had made their way onto the dance floor as they began to skip, jump and clap their hands as they danced around in a ring. Susan and Lucy quickly skipped their way into the ring as they were greeted by two fauns at either side who offered them both a hand and began spinning them around. The skirts of their dresses rippled around as they floated and glided across the floor.

People gathered around the dance floor as they watched the fauns and two Queens with awe. Some gasped as their Gentle Queen was lifted into the air by one of the fauns and thrown into a pirouette, but they soon broke out in relieved laughter as they saw the performance was executed with natural control. She landed with grace as they continued on with skipping and clapping.

Peter and Caspian stood on the outskirts of the ring with a tall and lanky lord, but their attention was soon devoted to the dance floor as the music began to pick up. They moved downwards to the onlookers to watch the dance, and their faces soon cracked into smiles as they recognized Susan and Lucy participating in it. Edmund suddenly appeared at Caspian's side and the two Kings shared a smile before they turned their eyes to the dance.

Caspian watched Susan with great admiration as she danced. As exquisite as it was, the big smile upon her lips as she laughed with her sister only made her more beautiful as she moved expertly across the floor. He wanted nothing more than to seize her in his arms and lift her into the air so her laughter could delightfully fill his ears. However, he found himself glued to the spot as he only held eyes for her.

Lucy and Susan linked hands as they moved to the centre of the dance floor whilst the fauns still danced around them. The pirouetted and spun together as they laughed.

Now, some Narnian females had grown bold from the spirit of the dance, and they too spun into a circle between the fauns and the Queens. Lucy and Susan broke off and as Lucy skipped with some of the ladies, Susan laughed whilst she brought her arms up and leaned her head back as she twirled in the centre of the circle. The skirt of her dress flared around her feet, and her dark hair fanned out behind her as she spun around and around.

Lucy linked arms with the ladies as they danced around her in a circle whilst the music paced up even more. Once the climax of the song had passed, the ladies joined the fauns whilst Lucy and Susan joined hands to finish the dance.

The music stopped, and their audience broke out into applause and whistles. The people moved about again, and after Lucy and Susan had thanked the fauns, they made their way over to Peter and Caspian.

"Oh my, I haven't done that dance in ages!" Lucy exclaimed breathlessly. Susan held a hand to her heart as she nodded in agreement, trying to regain breath. The boys grinned at the girls as they laughed and commented on the dance between themselves.

"Here you are, girls. Bottoms up!" Edmund made himself known by making his way over with two goblets of wine with Eustace at his tail. They gasped their thank you's as they took the goblets, cheered, before proceeding to drink.

"That was a Narnian dance, correct?" Eustace asked meekly.

"Indeed." Peter confirmed with a smile.

"I tried it with Su once, and believe me, you should be grateful you don't know that dance." Edmund told his younger cousin.

"What happened?" Caspian asked with a raised brow and a knowing smirk.

"He dropped me twice and managed to throw me across the room," removing her lips from her goblet, Susan answered for her grinning brother. She remembered the sprained ankle that followed quite well. The High King chortled on his drink, earning him a nudge from Edmund.

"She refuses to dance with me to this day," Edmund told his best friend.

"Strange that!" Caspian told him sarcastically with a grin. Susan raised her goblet slightly as a salute, silently thanking him for understanding.

"Well, in that case, you're dancing with me! Come on!" Lucy grasped Edmund's sleeve and pulled him with her to the dancefloor, making people move out of the way for the royal siblings with humorous looks.

Susan watched her siblings with a smile before she noticed a young lady, about her age, look shyly towards her older brother.

Her hair the colour of ripe chestnuts and eyes mossy green, she wore a red dress that complimented her olive skin. She sent Peter flirtatious looks, which did not go unnoticed by said King. Meeting her gaze, he saw her wave her fingers at him, hoping he would notice her. He then looked towards his sister and Caspian, putting on a mask. Susan raised a fine brow at him, looking through him.

"Come on. Go to her. She'll be flattered to have a dance with King Peter the _Magnificent_ ," she told her brother, saying his title with a slightly mocking voice.

Peter poked her nose playfully before he left the couple to themselves.

"But don't be stupid!" Susan called after him as a last minute warning.

"Don't you have any faith in him?" Caspian asked her with a grin as took a step to stand by her side.

"Let's just say Peter has felt the backside of a woman's hand before," Susan told him. He hummed in understanding.

"Oh well, they have to grow up sometime, don't they?" she said humorously.

"Pfft. Boys." Caspian snorted sarcastically, making her giggle.

"I think we can leave him to it," Susan stated safely with a smile as she saw her brother between all the people kiss the young lady's hand, making her blush. Susan turned towards her King, meeting his affectionate gaze.

"Can I get you anything? Something to eat, a drink?" he asked her tenderly as he grasped her small hands in his. She shook her head softly, closing her eyes.

"No thank you, I'm fine." He raised their united hands to his chest and stroked his thumbs in circles against the back of her hands. She felt her hands tingle from the gentle gesture.

"Well then, I do believe you promised me a dance?" he asked her with a cheeky smile. Susan's plump lips turned upwards into a tender smile.

"That I did," she confirmed, before he lead her onto the dancefloor.

. . .

( _I like Shayne Ward's "No Promises_ " _to this, but feel free to choose any song you want_ )

Several couples had found a place on the dancing floor, but anyone could see that the High King and Queen were the most striking couple there. The way that Caspian elegantly led her across the floor with gentle turns and spins, and how their hands connected after the dance had required them to split up let the people know that the King had already chosen his partner for tonight. And for some, it told that he had found his partner for life.

He smiled down at her in admiration, and the spark in her blue eyes revealed the fact that she was enjoying this as well. He raised her hand above her head and spun her before bringing her back against his firm chest. Loving the feel of her in his arms as they danced like they were the only people there, a female laughter brought him back to reality. He moved his gaze, and he noticed Peter dancing with the girl from earlier. The two Kings smiled at one another knowingly before they looked down at their partners once again. The girls had now become aware of the couple behind their backs, and Susan smiled at her brother over her shoulder.

Caspian and Peter spun their partners away from them simultaneously, switching ladies. The girls spun elegantly past each other. The girl in red became even more flustered as she was passed to Caspian. She smiled brightly at him, which he returned politely.

Susan was passed to her brother, who smiled at her with a knowing look.

She saw the glimmer in her brother's eyes, and was grateful for their return to Narnia. The former angry and restless Peter she had known in England had now melted away. He was a changed boy, a man even, and she wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.

After a couple of turns around the floor, the couples passed by each other again, and the girls were spun back to their original male partners.

Susan was greeted back into Caspian's arms, and she gladly accepted it, like she always had, and they continued the dance. Feeling a certain spirit, the young Queen leant against the warmth of her King as he led her gently around the floor, making her dress and sleeves ripple about them. She smiled beautifully at him, before she rested her head against his broad chest.

"I never want this moment to end …" she sighed with a voice full of love as she closed her eyes. Caspian leant down and smiled against her dark hair as he inhaled her intoxicating smell of lavender and jasmine.

The people watched as Caspian pulled her close and stroked her hair as they cherished the moment. Most people were fond of the idea, and let their hearts melt at the young love, whilst some ladies watched with much envy. However the people felt, be it negative or positive, one thing was certain: the King had chosen his Queen.

Pulling back, Caspian and Susan watched as some couples retired from the dance, and as others lingered. Their eyes met, and Susan's smile made his heart leap as he found a spark of boldness in it. Caspian grabbed her waist and lifted her as the song came to a climax. He spun her, and her laughter, filled with surprise and joy, triggered a wave of love to wash over him. He almost couldn't contain it, but if he had to describe it, it felt like giving bread to a starved man. A somehow unnatural feeling, but, loving her would be the most natural thing he had ever done.

Feeling his arms lock around her tiny waist, she rested her arms upon his shoulders and behind his neck. She leaned her forehead against his as they grinned at each other, and the two basked in each other's embrace as they lingered in the aftermath of the song.

Caspian put her down gently as they noticed the couples leaving the floor. He took a tender hold of her hands and kissed them in traditional thanks for the dance, before leading her off the floor to get something to drink.

. . .

The High Queen stepped onto the veranda to catch some well-needed fresh air, and she walked over to the railing of stone to watch the last rays of sun descend so night could come forth. The breeze from the sea pushed her hair back and she took a deep breath of the salty air.

She had danced with several of the lords whilst still coming down from the high she felt when dancing with Caspian and that had exhausted her more than she dared to admit. The night was still young, and she would bet there would be more dances to come. She had even accepted assisting Lucy in teaching Eustace a Narnian dance. After enjoying a bite of pastry with Peter, she excused herself to reload her batteries, be it for just a moment. Not having seen Edmund for quite a while, only the tuft of dark hair, she guessed he was having a busy time accepting congratulations, eating well and making the general merry with the people and his siblings together with Caspian. Not having seen him either the last hour, he was probably busy attending his people.

She scratched that thought as she turned towards the sound of the glass doors opening, seeing said king stepping onto the veranda as well, looking worn out by the slightest. She turned towards him and leant her back and elbows against the railing.

"Everything all right?" she asked him in a gentle voice, and he met her gaze with a handsome smile, instantly brightening up.

"Yes, I just needed a moment outside. However, I didn't think I would be grazed with your presence, my lady." He told her as he leant against the railing as well, looking far out into the horizon, out towards the sea.

"Well, like you, I like to escape the vast majority of people from time to time, especially at balls like these …" she told him as she turned to look out into the ocean surface as well.

"I didn't think all this attention would be so exhausting. I suppose it's another thing one doesn't get quite used to," he told her. She leant on her elbows against the railing as she looked at him. His dark tresses blew gently in the breeze, and the last rays of that day shone upon him, making him look more like a god than a mortal man.

"Especially not when you are High King of Narnia," she added, making him hum in agreement.

"Well, the High Queen seems to be comfortable with all the attention," he stated as he looked at her tenderly. She locked gaze with him for a moment in silence before she looked back out towards the sea.

"I've been doing this for a long time, Caspian," she merely told him. He understood. She had ruled for 15 years in the Golden Age, 1,300 years before him. And now, she outlived her role as a legend, known to all Narnians, as the Gentle Queen, the Queen of the Horn, and the Archer Queen - understandably, she would be lavished in awe and admiration, because of her time as Queen, her time as a legend, and now, monarch once again - once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen of Narnia.

They stood in silence and enjoyed the fresh air for some time, before Caspian broke the silence by clearing his throat.

"I talked to the castle smith earlier today, and he said he would have Edmund's sword ready tonight. But after a second thought, I think I shall give it to him in the morning. I don't want to disturb him with that tonight," he told her, as he gazed inside through the glass doors, and saw Edmund laughing merrily with Trumpkin and Trufflehunter. A smile grazed his lips.

"I think he will be thrilled. It is extremely kind of you, Caspian, to arrange something like that. A dwarven made sword, that's… That is really something," she told him. He had raised the topic with her earlier that month, and she had hesitated at first, but after the determination she saw in his eyes, she encouraged the idea.

"Well, of course; it's the least I can do for him. He's like a brother to me, I wouldn't want him to have anything but the best," he said.

"Because nothing can compare to dwarven crafts?" she asked with a giggle, making him grin.

"Indeed," he laughed with her, and they looked at one another. She smiled weakly as she delicately placed a hand on top of his.

"You really are wonderful with them," Susan said tenderly, hinting towards her siblings.

"I like to think you bring it out of me," he replied lovingly, making her smile grow. She caressed his jaw, meeting his gaze, before he brought his lips down to hers in a warm kiss.

Cupping his cheek, she smiled into the kiss and let the love she felt for this man fill her very being. He caressed her hand with his fingers and as the kiss grew deeper, his hand moved to the back of her head, carefully avoiding the circlet. Whilst enjoying the feel of her silky hair between his fingers, a shiver rushed down his spine as she ghosted the tips of her fingernails against his jawline.

Breaking apart by the slightest, they leaned against each other's side, their foreheads touching. Caspian's hand travelled down and he curled a dark lock of her hair around his index finger, smiling at the feel of spun silk against his skin.

Settling with her head resting against his shoulder, Susan and Caspian continued to enjoy their quiet moment whilst watching the sun take its leave.

A seagull soared on open wings into the horizon, and its wail echoed through Cair Paravel.

. . .

The air that morning was filled with thick, grey clouds, followed by a patchy drizzle. The humid weather made the Just King feel a knot of nostalgia twist in his gut. Now summer in Narnia, this weather reminded him too much of England, but somehow, he was okay with it. He knew he was home now. He was home, and he was back with his family.

What Edmund also knew, was that he had a splitting headache. He was in better shape than Peter, but nevertheless, he started to regret the last round of drinks with his brother and Caspian. Even Susan had joined them in the last drinking game, much to their surprise. They had kept going until the sky had turned from starry black to a discouraging grey, knowing that the following morning would be a wet one.

As Edmund had left his chambers that morning, he had bumped into Caspian in the common room, and after receiving a request to join him to visit the smith, he tagged along, in what he thought to be a retrieval of a broken sword.

Pulling his cape tighter around him, he followed Caspian through the empty streets. Caspian was silent, but he supposed it was because of the fact that his friend was not a morning person, rather than too much intake on wine. Still early, most shops and residential homes were dark and unlit, making the village look abandoned. The only place they could see was busy was at an open shop, namely, the smith. A fire was crackling at the forge under the wooden roof, and a sturdy man was stirring the ashes with a fire iron. Grim looking, the man moved his gaze towards the two men as they walked between two columns and under the roof.

"Welcome back, m'lord," he said to Caspian in a gruff voice. The man, somewhere in his late forties, was bald, apart from a greying beard that was braided in two plaits, and decorated with silver rings. A very visible vein in his temple, along with his icy grey eyes and furrowed brows, gave him altogether a stern-looking and weather-beaten appearance. Broad-shouldered and strong, he was fit for his role. He wore an apron, splattered with grime, and it was apparent that he was about to start the day because of the gloves he now put on.

"Morning, Brant. Everything going alright?" Caspian asked in a kingly fashion as he stood straight. Brant eyed him, before his gaze settled on Edmund. The Just King studied the man's tattoos that snaked from the sides of his head and down his neck.

"Aye. Apart from this blasted weather; no good for the forge," the smith answered plainly with a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Caspian offered a smile, but the smith didn't return it. He returned to stir in the fires.

"I'm sure you have other concerns than the weather," he said, not meeting his gaze. Caspian, knowing the man's dislike of small talk, proceeded to his original topic after introducing him to Edmund.

"I trust you have it ready?" Caspian asked the smith, who now met his gaze. He nodded once, before disappearing into his workshop. Caspian turned to Edmund, who stood leant against a wooden column.

"He's not a people-person. Brilliant smith, though," he explained.

"Apparently," was Edmund's reply as he looked at the many sword and knives that decorated the wooden walls.

"How did you manage to break the cutting edge of your sword, again?" Edmund asked him with a mocking grin. Caspian did not answer, but instead sent him a lopsided smile. Edmund knew that look of his, and was about to question him further, but not before Brant could return with a long cloth in his hands.

"Here you are, my King," he said, presenting him with the package in his arms.

Caspian waved Edmund up to him with two fingers. "Alright, so I was kind of lying to you before … It's not my sword," he said to Edmund, watching his dark brows furrow in confusion. "It's yours." Brant removed the cloth, and pulled out a shiny, newly polished sword.

"But … You mean …?" Edmund began, not quite finding the words.

"Happy birthday, Ed," Caspian said with a smile. Brant moved forwards with the blade resting in his hands, and presented it to Edmund. He took it hesitantly, and held it upwards as he studied and caressed the edge of the sword. The sword was made of fine silver, and it had a long, slender form. The leather hand grip was bisected by a silver ring, engraved with runes, and the pommel of the sword was shaped, alike Rhindon, like a silver lion's roaring head.

"This, my Lord, is a sword made with dwarven traditions and techniques. I received help from two dwarven brothers, both working with me in my shop. Made with the rawest silver from the unknown depth of the mine, this sword will not easily betray you. Treated with the outmost care and detail, it will serve you until death. Maybe even then," Brant told him with pride glimmering in his eyes. Edmund swung it once, but was slightly taken aback at the lightness of the sword.

"Aye, it's light, for better sword handling," he added. "Even more so, it has magical properties. I've never fancied that m'self, but … It can be buried in the deepest waters, and never rust. It can cut down a thousand men, and never become dull. Hold it over the hottest inferno, and it will never melt. Watch as blood coats that blade, and you will see it nurtures from the blood of your enemies. It will forever be loyal to you, my King," Brant told him with a certain passion in his voice.

"I …" Edmund began.

"A king needs a sword fashioned to him, and him alone. Hopefully, it will feel as an extension of your own arm," Brant explained, and for the first time, offered a smile.

"But …"

"Don't thank me, I just did my job." Brant said as he stirred the fires for the third time that morning.

"Caspian, this must have cost a fortune, I can't possibly accept this!" Edmund said as he studied the runes on his sword.

"Oh, it was nothing to it. A gift fit for a King," Caspian answered with a grin. As Edmund was to protest further, Caspian silenced him with an open palm raised in front of him.

"Repeat after me: 'thank you'," he told him wickedly. Edmund scratched the back of his neck with a small grin. Caspian might not be a brother by blood, but he certainly was at heart.

"Thank you," Edmund finally said with a bright smile. Returning his smile, Caspian gave him a real brotherly pat on his back, before the two Kings studied Edmund's new blade together with great admiration.

* * *

 **A/N: That's the longest one yet, phew! *wipes brow* I do hope this turned out ok, and that you didn't fall asleep at the first paragraph. It's not that I'm not happy with my own work, but I know how tedious it is to read a chapter that isn't getting anywhere. So I hope I lived out to everyone's expectations (especially yours too,** _ **Tdcaryl!**_ **)**

 **Finally, I should add that I own nothing but Brant (OC) and my own ideas. All music mentioned above belongs to their rightful owners! I merely found inspiration from the tracks x**

 **I'll try to write you soon! Meanwhile, why won't you do me the honour of leaving a review? I love me some reviews x**

 **I hope you all enjoy your summer!**

 **All the best,**

 **Dragon**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: A little momentum inspired by a scene from the show** _ **Reign**_ **! (If you haven't watched it, I strongly suggest you do, it's a really good show! Not very historically correct regarding Mary of Scots and her reigning time, but a brill show nevertheless!) Therefore, it will be short and sweet. But I hope to move forward with my characters pretty soon. Currently in UNI, it's hard to write often. But I will certainly do my very best to update frequently!**

 **Enough from me, and on with your reading! X**

 **(Song recommendation: "Once Upon A Time" by Adrian Von Ziegler)**

* * *

Susan had to admit, her favourite season would be summer- especially the Narnian ones. The days grew longer, and come night time; daylight would peek up from the treetops short hours later. Every tree would blossom with either petals of pink, or leaves of brilliant green. The grass grows tall and lush as it dances in the wind. The sun will stand high up on the sky for many hours, and even though Narnia had her seasons of rain, it would never become cold. Even the castle would seem to warm up, despite its structure of bricks and thick walls.

The Gentle Queen admired the summers for its sounds too - the squawking from the seagulls along the shores, the chirping from crickets in the tall grass in the evening, and she blessed the birds for their songs throughout the day. She found peace with the wind as she could hear it rustle the leaves and tug through her hair, and she smiled at the sound of her people as they busied themselves either at the marked in the village that thrived with life, or at the many parties the royals threw at court, or outside, throughout the warmest season of the year.

Pondering on this, the Queen admired the generous view of the ocean and castle gardens from the veranda in the throne room. She was soaking in the peace of being alone, as was her nature. She found it quite rewarding to spend some time with her thoughts, as it was a good way to reflect upon current events, and to mentally prepare for other royal tasks that would demand certain people skills.

The large doors behind her were open, and Susan turned towards the sound of people filling the room, breaking the peaceful silence. Servants attended to their general cleaning, and talked about nothing and everything as they busied themselves with mopping and sweeping. Not wanting to be intrusive, the Queen moved herself inside and out of the busy room. Instead, she felt the need to return to her quarters, and so she made her way amongst the many corridors before cutting the corner towards her chamber doors.

Her feet came to a rest however, as she spotted a note hanging against the large wooden doors of her chambers. She delicately tore the piece of parchment off its nail and read it.

 _Meet me at our spot._

 _X_

Susan folded the short and direct message with a smile and went for a short trip inside her rooms before shutting the doors behind her once again, and made her way out of the castle with quick steps.

She knew the way by heart.

. . .

Susan stood up in the saddle as her horse cantered with long strides across the forest floors. The trees stretched their thick branches up into the sky as they too enjoyed the sun. The sunlight broke through the roof of leaves, casting shadows on the earth beneath the horse's hooves. A blackbird's song echoed through the otherwise silent woods, and Susan could hear the leaves rustling above her head together with the leather creaking in the saddle, the snorting of her mare, and thundering of hooves across the ground.

Knowing when to turn and when to follow the path, she made a last turn onto a narrow path, only wide enough for one horse at a time, where branches hung low. The mare walked with her head down as Susan steered her with one hand whilst brushing off leaves with the other.

Something red on the ground of dirt caught the young Queen's attention; rose petals. She noticed the petals highlighted a path that went on, before cutting short between two trees.

Susan knew very well who had planted the trail, and with a fluttering heart, she followed it between the trees. Trotting down the path, she could spot the rump of a certain black horse. Her mare greeted the known horse with a nicker, making it answer excitedly with a proud neck and perked ears. The horse trotted to Destrier's side, before Susan pulled her to a stop as a small clearing came to sight, together with a man she knew well.

The young Queen spotted no other than the High King himself, and she greeted him with a coy smile. But, as she took in the environment, she noticed he was sitting down on a large fur pelt. Flowers were spread out neatly on the moss-covered boulders behind him, and she admired the natural beauty of the greenly white flowers. Bowls of different fruits were placed beside Caspian, together with a wicker basket. The scene took Susan's breath for a short moment as she admired the effort he had made, and she gazed up at the trees as they towered high above them. The leaves blocked the sunlight, and made the clearing very closed and intimate. Susan and Caspian had travelled to this place many a time, to collect moments together, have a break after a ride, or come here alone to think. As they both had their share of memories here, they decided to make it theirs, as a place to find solace.

And solace they found; be it here, or with each other.

Susan dismounted, left her Friesian with Destrier, before making her way to her King, who was currently fingering a crimson petal. He had his dark hair from the front tied back behind his head, which brought out his short dark beard and brown eyes. Wearing black leather boots and trousers, he looked positively drool-worthy together with a cream shirt that was slightly loosened at the front.

"What did I ever do to merit such a pleasant surprise?" she asked him sweetly as she walked down to him with such graze it made his heart jump twice.

"Simply being the wonderful you," he told her with a toothy smile as he stood up on his knees and offered her his hand with a lopsided smile across his handsome features. She accepted it with an eye-twinkling smile and sat down with him on the pelt. She straightened out the skirt of her white dress.

"This is beautiful, Caspian," she told him sincerely as she gazed around her once more, before turning her face up into the trees and enjoyed a ray of warming sun that shone delicately upon them. "But really, you didn't have to go through all this trouble." She turned her gaze to him, but he merely shook his head dismissively and stroked his thumb across the back of her hand, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to him.

"Oh, it was nothing to it. A little timing here and a little packing there, and here we are." He assured her with a warm smile, his hand never leaving hers.

"Nevertheless, it was very sweet of you to do this," she told him with a gentle smile. He brought her hand up to his lips and placed a devoted kiss upon it, his gaze never leaving hers.

"All for you, my Queen."

As her heart melted at his words, he turned to grasp after something in the wicker basket she couldn't quite get a clear sight of.

"A little bird told me that you were appreciative of Narnian strawberries at this time of season. Why don't you have the first go?" he said to her with a smile as he turned to her with a big, red and lush strawberry in his hand, holding it by the stem. She scoffed and shook her head in amusement at the sight of the ripe fruit.

"You've really thought of everything, haven't you?" she asked him with a gentle smile.

"Well, I try," he replied with a smirk. She returned his smirk before gently wrapping her fingers over his that were currently holding the berry, bent down, and bit down on the strawberry delicately. He watched her as her full lips closed down over the red tip of the fruit before she sat up straight and licked up the drop of the berry's sweet juice that was threatening to spill from the corner of her mouth. He swallowed heavily.

"I can tell the effort was well given," she said as she savoured the sweet taste. He bit of the rest of the strawberry before throwing away the stem.

"I aim to please, my Queen." Caspian told her warmly.

"And please you do," she told him as she leant forward and pecked him on the lips. The taste of strawberries was still lingering on his lips as she sat back, their gazes locked.

. . .

"- And Trumpkin was so afraid he would look like a grape in that new outfit. Of course, that _extremely_ purple tunic built an image so badly; I couldn't hold my laughter back. Needless to say, he hasn't spoken to me all day because of it," Caspian chuckled under his breath as he told her of a recent incident with Trumpkin the dwarf.

Two goblets and half a bottle of wine later, the couple was laid back on the furs as they basked in the afternoon sun. Susan laughed merrily at his stories.

"You cheeky thing," she laughed and nudged his chest playfully. He joined in her laughter.

"I meant no harm; it was actually befitting a regent. I simply could not help myself, seeing he brought it up himself," he assured her as a new fit of laughter emerged from the King and Queen.

"Oh, bless that DLF," she said as her laughter died, and she sat up straight, resting her weight on one hand.

"I never understood that part," he told her honestly as he ran a hand through his hair. She turned her head, only to look at him with amusement.

"'Dear Little Friend'".

"Hmm, fitting indeed," he agreed, making her smile like never before. A thought then crossed the young King's mind.

"Remind me to use it in one of our next council meetings," he told her humorously, making her nudge him once again.

"That would be most unappreciative, I believe!" she told him with a giggle, and the sound made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a most delightful shiver ran down his spine. "I've said it before and I'm saying it again; you cheeky man." She told him with that certain man-eater smile of hers.

He cocked one dark brow at her, a smirk grazing his lips.

"It probably isn't in my place to deny it, is it?" he asked cheekily and offered her a lopsided smile that always made her knees go weak and wanting to throw herself against him.

This time she did.

With a small _'off!'_ the King fell against the furs onto his back as the strong force pushed against his chest and straddled his lap. He looked up, only to gaze into the silvery blue eyes of his Queen. He watched as she chuckled lightly with a triumphant smile crossing her lush lips.

"No, it probably isn't," she agreed with him. Her dark waves of hair fell down in long tresses against his chest, and he instinctively freed an arm to raise a hand and tuck a hair lock behind her ear.

"Now, who's the cheeky one?" he asked her rhetorically with a grin as he tucked his arm behind his head to support it, as a way to look at her properly.

"I believe you hold that title still, my King," she told him in a sensual voice whilst running a fingernail along his cheekbone and bearded jaw. A certain smile crossed her lips as she felt his other hand run up her thigh and grasp her hip in response.

But before the Queen could advance any farther, Caspian flipped them over with one hand resting at her waist, leaving her back against the furs with him hovering above her. She did not find it intimidating however; if anything, she had never felt safer with this man than in this moment.

"You're probably right." He told her in a husky voice with a grin as his chocolate eyes darkened in desire. Her hair was dishevelled against the pelt, her eyes sparkling, and her breathing shallow.

"Probably." She agreed with a beam brighter than the sun itself.

Despite the warmth provided by the furs behind her back, the sun high above and the wonderful warmth radiating from Caspian, the Queen shivered. Caspian noticed this, and first thought was that he had frightened her; that was until she ran a hand through his hair and felt the thick, shoulder-length tresses between her fingers, without a single word. There was no need for words. This perfectly peaceful, yet playful, moment made them content and able to relax. The Queen was not frightened. Never with him. She was excited, and somehow, a juvenile nervousness had stepped forward. But she didn't think much of it. She was entirely focused on the man above her.

When Susan's fingernails teased the back of his neck and the short hairs there, Caspian could not help himself but to capture her lips in a short, yet powerful kiss. A gasp escaped her lips as she succumbed to the moment and kissed him back. His left arm snuck behind her head and supported her, whilst his right explored her side. Travelling from her waist and up, he managed to stop right underneath her breast, and instead returned to her thigh, pulling it up against his waist as they kissed passionately.

Susan's fingers entangled themselves on reflex in his hair before she freed a hand to run it across his jaw. She then felt his strong, muscular chest, spreading her fingers above his heart that was currently beating like the hooves of a thousand galloping stallions.

She pulled away with a gasp for a much-needed breath of air, but her arms never loosened on their grip on Caspian. He kissed along her jaw, down to neck before burying his head into the nape of her neck. He inhaled her smell of lavender and jasmine, and placed a sweet kiss upon her neck. Susan, still short of breath, stretched her neck to give him better access. Running her nails across the skin of his chest (through his open shirt) evoked a small growl from Caspian's throat. He did not hesitate to feast upon her neck with kisses and small bites, and when she arched her back at a certain spot, he gently bit down on her neck. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to wake sensations in Susan's abdomen, sensations that had been buried for a long time.

"Caspian…" she gasped out his name. Hearing his name brought him back from the frenzy of lust and desire. He buried his nose against the pale column of her neck.

"Oh, my Susan…" he called, his voice low and husky. A shiver ran down her spine at the sound of her name crossing his lips. He took possession in her name, made her his own, and the thought made her stomach coil in excitement.

"It would be best we stopped now, before I do something I will regret," he told her as he raised his head to look down upon her. Her eyes shimmered more of silver than of blue, and her lips and neck were red from the attention he had given them. Her chest rose steadily up and down against his, and they both were flushed and intoxicated with desire.

"Like what? Claiming me?" she urged on with a hint of mischief in her voice. His eyes darkened at her words and he bent down once more to kiss the beauty underneath him. She smiled against his lips and she could feel him hum into the kiss.

"Like neglecting or taint your honour." He told her with warm smile.

"Always the protective one," she murmured appreciatively against his lips before placing a loving kiss upon them. He pulled her closer as he nuzzled his nose against hers. They fell down against the furs and enjoyed what was left of the afternoon. The horses snorted as they grazed on the moss, the birds chirped and sang, and the wind rustled the leaves. The King rested his forehead against hers, and murmured in the sincerest voice she had ever heard:

"For you, always…"

* * *

 **A/N: Now, I should have gotten to bed hours ago, because I start morning classes at 09:15, but I just could not stop writing. So I hope you enjoy this! Things will speed up from now, and the rating MAY change, depending on how…. Saucy… future chapters will be.**

 **Take care for now, lovelies, and I thank you for all the support! I shall bid you a good night x**

 **Yours,**

 **Dragon**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Good evening, all!**

 **With no passion to write, I have gotten the very familiar writers block, but I figured that shouldn't stop me to write, just because of a block of detachment. Suffering a cold this last week, I thought I had the strength to write, but unfortunately, I hadn't. So I am spending this moment with ice cream as we delve back to Narnia and to our fellow Pevensies.**

 **Hence this chapter might seem uninteresting, because of this block. Do forgive me, but I hope you enjoy nevertheless!**

 **Some focus on Peter this time, as I think he deserves some attention.**

 **Here you go;**

* * *

King, formerly High King, Peter had always been popular with the ladies from afar. Be it at court, in the village or just random encounters with countesses or princesses from other realms. He was a magnificent man; well befitting his title, with experiences that of a wise King, good stature and looks. He stood tall with golden locks, ocean-blue eyes and slight stubble, and quite a bit of muscle, as was observed by the women in court.

However, King Peter the Magnificent was not too magnificent with women once he had met them. Not intentionally, he would argue, but it was true. Clumsy, once in the presence of beautiful women, in addition to being artless and, what his older sister would call tactless, he was not the romantic.

And somehow, he would be reminded of that fact this day.

Walking down a hall with Caspian at his side, discussing events of the day, they were about to part off as the High King had business elsewhere.

"I heard Edmund was going to fence with Eustace and Lucy today, are you going to join them? They might like to learn techniques from you, especially Lucy, being so eager to learn." Caspian asked as they talked idly. Servants that passed them bowed to show them their respects, and fellow lords that had flocked around in the hallway nodded their way as they walked by.

"I might. Glenstorm and Trumpkin wanted to see me regarding new recruits in the army, so that has to be taken cared of first. But he'll have it all under control, if I can't make it." Peter explained with a hand resting on the sword strapped to his side.

"I see. Tell Trumpkin to meet me in my study later this evening, will you? Oh, and if you please, give him this," Caspian halted momentarily to give Peter a small piece of sealed parchment, before taking his leave through a large set of doors. Peter turned his head to him as he walked on.

"Yeah, sure." He told him with a small smile of confirmation. Caspian called after him as he watched him go.

"It's urgent, let it be the first thing you do!" Peter rolled his eyes at him, turning back and flayed his arms to the sides in a dramatic way that only Peter could do.

"I said I will, relax!" he called back. Caspian shook his head at him before proceeding to his errands, leaving a scoffing Peter.

"He has a skyrocketing amount of faith in me, I must say…" Peter murmured to himself sarcastically as he passed a corner, tucking the piece of paper into a pocket.

Not seeing where he was going, he ended up crashing into a small figure of iron.

The person he bumped into let out a small ' _off!'_ at their clumsy encounter. Peter straightened up, but was quickly puzzled by the femininity of the voice. So he looked up, well, down rather, with a frown, only to stare into a woman's face as she straightened her fencing cape of red fabric that was draped over her shoulder. The woman straightened up formally when she noticed who she had bumped into.

"My Lord, I am desperately sorry, do forgive my clumsiness!" she apologized with slight panic in her voice. He shook his head with a skew smile upon his now flushed face.

"Nono, it's alright, really. I didn't see where I was going," he assured her as he met her gaze. That's when he allowed himself a moment to study her. He noticed two things almost immediately; one, she was Telmarine, and two, she was a _guard_ \- the latter being much more uncommon than the first. He could tell the two because of her features and her attire.

Her chocolate-brown hair was pulled back into a bun with a leather band, leaving rebellious strands of curls frame her face. Her skin had a healthy olive tone to it, and it complimented her warm, dark hazel eyes and her fine, dark brows. With high cheekbones and a heart-shaped face, she was a natural beauty in Peter's eyes. Her dark eyelashes fluttered nervously against her cheek, and she licked her rosy, delicate lips at this awkward encounter with the King. She noticed how he was staring at her, and while this was not new to her, having the _King_ look her down certainly was a little frightening.

 _She's tiny,_ Peter thought. Normally, Telmarine women were quite tall, well, taller than English girls, so he was surprised at the fact that he was over a head taller than her. However, her small frame was protected by a heavy, yet flexible layer of iron and chainmail, which he recognized as the guards uniform, together with the cape and sword. He decided to question her on this, to confirm he was not unmistaken, because he could not help but find this entire meeting amusing, together with this woman clad in iron armour.

"Forgive my curiosity, but are you one of the guards? I do not believe I have seen you before." He asked her as she took a step back. She cleared her throat.

"Uhm, yes, I was recently hired, your majesty." She said with a small nod of her head. Her hand gripped the pommel of her sword as she didn't know what else to do with her hands.

"I see. Merely confused, you see, I don't normally see female guards in Cair Paravel…" he began, but he immediately stopped in his explanation as he saw a certain glimmer in her eyes at his words.  
"Not that there shouldn't be female guards, of course, I just have not seen Telmarine women patrol the halls before!" he tried, (not without stumbling over his words), and he noticed her shoulders relax, allowing himself to let out an inaudible sigh.

"It's alright your majesty, I understand." she assured him, and he was relieved that she wasn't offended. He also gave himself an internal pat on the back for managing to make himself clear without getting a slap across the face.

An awkward silence made its presence as he miserably tried to converse, because he had become utterly fascinated with this woman, but found that she had spoken before him.

"If his majesty does not mind, I must return to my duties," she spoke as she looked down with a slight bow, before passing him with a smile, and walked on with a confident stride.

"Oh, I- yes, of course." Peter managed to utter as he looked after the woman, puzzled, but also disappointed - disappointed over himself for being a fool, but also for not getting to know her name.

. . .

"No, Eustace, satyrs and fauns are not the same thing," Lucy told her cousin as they sat at the table in the royal common room over a very large book that la-*te evening. The fire crackled pleasantly in the hearth, and the red sofa and chairs surrounding it were unoccupied, apart from one chair that Susan had settled in as she read her own literature in peace.

"They're synonyms, aren't they?"

"No."

"They are in Greek mythology!" he protested. Lucy sighed loudly and flipped the pages back to the chapter about fauns.

"Alright, for one, this isn't mythology, Eustace. Two, these are creatures and inhabitants of Narnia, not some legendary fairytales. You see the difference between fauns and satyrs here," Lucy explained, pointing down at the illustration of a male faun. "A faun has more human traits and have a whole different culture than satyrs, which you see here," she proceeded to flip over several pages before pointing down at an illustration of a satyr with goat-like features both in body and profile. Eustace decided he liked the fauns better because they were described as more civil than satyrs (and the large set of horn on the satyrs certainly did not help their cause.)

"Oh, I get it, like minoboars and pignoids," Eustace said, making Lucy sigh once more.

"Err, not exactly. You'll get there!" she encouraged as they moved on to the next subject. Susan smiled as her little sister tried her best to teach Eustace. Susan knew that no one loved the Narnian creatures as much as Lucy, and she admired her sister for that. Lucy had always been so accepting and prone to overly friendly towards anyone since she was a baby, that she could make friends with (almost) any creature, hence, a perfect advisor in the study of races for Eustace. Susan was torn away from her thoughts when a man she knew well entered the room.

"Hey!" Lucy greeted with a bright smile as she turned in her seat. Caspian returned her smile, walked over to her seat and gave her shoulders a kind squeeze as he showed interest in their studying.

Susan smiled at the image before her gaze returned to the book in her lap. Soon enough, he turned to join her at the seats, admiring her as the lights from the fire flickered across her face and dark locks, engulfing her in an orange hue as she sat with her legs stocked beneath her, looking very comfortable in the chair.

"Good evening to you, my Queen," he told her huskily as he walked behind her chair. She looked up at him as he bent down to kiss her cheekbone tenderly. He sat down on the sofa close to her with a sigh and leant back wearily.

"Long day, huh?" she asked him and offered a small smile, which of course he returned. She admired the reflection of the flames in his dark eyes as he looked into the flames.

"Too long. Though, it's much better now." Caspian told her, making her smile tenderly, and he took her hand in his, stroking the back of her palm leisurely with his thumb as they caught up on the day's events. It wasn't long before Edmund entered the room as well and sat down on a chair on the far end, busying himself with telling Caspian how he had managed to beat the Captain of the guards in a duel in less than half a minute. By the time Susan had returned to her book whilst Edmund and Caspian chatted on, Peter came in.

"Evening." He greeted, before sitting down on the sofa beside Caspian, looking very thoughtful and worn.

"What's up, Pete?" Edmund asked after a while, noticing that his older brother didn't take part in the conversation of his favourite weapon, namely the sword.

"Oh, nothing, just tired, that's all," he explained, which was half the truth, after all. Edmund cocked a brow at him as Peter returned to stare into the flames, knowing something was off with his brother. Feeling the weight of his doubtful gaze, Peter straightened up in his seat.

"I'm allowed to be tired, aren't I?" he asked rhetorically, almost to the point of snapping at him. Edmund raised his hands in faked surrender.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, calm down," Edmund told him, before he slouched back into his seat as he willingly let it go (for now).

"Don't be a grouch, Peter," Susan almost scolded him from her seat, her eyes never leaving the page of her book. He turned to her, ready to defend himself.

"I'm not grouchy, I'm just-! It's-" he began, but not quite finding the words as he sat up and leant his elbows on his knees, rubbing his knuckles uneasily.

"Susan, you're a girl…" Peter stated, trying to find his words again.

"Well spotted." Susan commented, her gaze still in her book. Caspian and Edmund snickered at her remark.

"No, what I mean is… Well … How do I know what to say at the right time around girls? I'm sick and tired of getting the hairy eyeball just because you lot's just too polite to say specifically what works or not. I'm always hanging behind!" Peter told her, exasperation written all over his face. This time, Susan did look up.

"Alright, who's the girl?" she asked bluntly whilst sitting up and shutting her book. She left it on a nearby table and turned to her brother. He looked at her in shock as she read him so easily.

"I didn't-" he began, but was swiftly interrupted.

"Peter, I've been your sister for twenty years, do you really think that I can't tell what's going on? So come on, then, spill it. Who's the girl?" she repeated, making him purse his lips in defeat. Both Edmund and Caspian looked at him expectantly, together with Susan who was sitting there grinning like a Cheshire-cat.

"I don't even know if there _is_ a girl, but I had an … interesting meeting today," he told her.

"Who is it?!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed, and appeared before Peter as she squeezed down beside him on the armrest of the couch. She had apparently overheard the conversation, because she now showed great interest.

" _I don't know_. I didn't catch her name. All I know is that she's a guard, uniquely enough," Peter explained, now looking up at his little sister who was sitting inches away from him with a curios smile.

"Well, what does she look like?" Lucy pushed on and smiled that innocent smile of hers.

"Uh, she's petite, Telmarine, she had her hair up and wore usual guard uniform. And she seemed pretty absorbed in her duties… Oh, and she had these warm, hazel eyes I've never seen before …" he explained, having no problem picturing her before him.

"You're talking about Rhea." Susan told him, and he turned his gaze to her. _Rhea._ He tasted the name.

"You know her?"

"Yes, she's one of my new chamber guards. She was also my escort when I had to run an errand in the village the other day. She's nice." Susan told him, which also happened to explain why he hadn't noticed her before.

"I see…" Peter muttered as he rubbed his chin in thought, before Lucy practically squealed and tugged on his arm.

"How nice! How did you meet her?"

"Well, I didn't meet her as much as I stumbled into her…" he explained, growing red at the embarrassing thought, making Edmund snicker.

"Smooth, brother, very smooth," he smirked. Peter shot him a look.

"Oh, lay off."

"This is so cute! You are planning on meeting her again, aren't you?" Lucy asked as she squeezed his arm.

"I'm sure he will fall before her feet soon enough," Caspian teased with a grin, having the lot chuckle at the thought. Peter was not amused, and threw a cushion at him instead, which also shut him up, much to Peter's gratitude.

"Well, at least I know her name." Peter said, mostly to himself, and his siblings let the subject go as he clearly would not speak more of it, and they resumed to enjoy their evening in peace.

. . .

That night, Peter tossed and turned in his king-sized bed, which for once in his life seemed too big. He turned onto his back for what seemed to be the thousandth time that night, and looked up into the roof of his bed with a heavy sigh. He simply could not sleep, as thoughts on this Rhea continued to wander through his mind. He had so many questions, so many speculations on how he could come in contact with her again, and how he should go forward, or if he had blown it the moment he collided with her. _He certainly hoped not_.

Yet a very hopeful part of him knew that whatever the reason he bumped into her, it was a meaning behind it, _it had to be._ He also knew that no matter what, he wanted to look into those soulful hazel eyes again.

* * *

 **A/N: A short little moment for you! X**

 **So, Rhea is my OC, but I found inspiration from the show _Reign_ , (the character Kenna) If you want to get a picture of how I've pictured her in my mind, you can follow this link!**

 **/_**

 **So, that's it for now, and I will get back to you later when I have more time to write!**

 **Take care for now!**

 **Yours,**

 **Dragon**


	7. Chapter 7 - Lemon! (Read AN)

**A/N: Hiya, all of you!**

 **After a bit pondering and thinking back and forth, I've decided to write something I've haven't done in a year or so – a lemon. Yes, you heard right, a Suspian lemon. Not purely smut, but nevertheless, a good ol' sexy time-scene (or two).**

 **Now, I firstly want you to know that this chapter doesn't necessarily follow the storyline of this story, but the relationship between Susan and Caspian in my story** _ **will**_ **evolve further, if you catch my drift, so you can either read/accept this as an alternate chapter to the story with different plot and character morals, or you can read it and see it as a big leap in the story following Susan and Caspian. Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter/alternate scene, and please do leave some feedback, be it positive or negative! I always seek to improve my writing!**

 **Enough from me, and on with your reading, lovelies. Have a good one!**

 **(NB: My OC, Cain, looks a lot like Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, only taller and a larger frame. I think his looks complements well with the Telmarine-look as described in the movie(s).)**

 **(NNB: I recommend listening to this soundtrack whilst reading the smut-scene: "** _ **Svitjod**_ **" by Forndom, and/or "** _ **End Suite**_ **" by Brian Reitzell.)**

* * *

By the Great Lion's mane, was it a hot day. Not a _the-sun-is-shining-and-I'm-feeling-okay_ -day, no, it was a _the-sun-is-shining-and-I-might-melt-away_ -day. Narnian climate did not usually change so drastically, but one could never know in the summer season. One day it could be raining with a bitter wind coming from across the seas, and the next day the sun could be standing high for hours on end, leaving cracks in the dirt and golden scorch marks on the grass. Not that it usually bothered anyone. It was good for the crops, they thrived in the sun and stretched their leaves up to feel the sun kiss their petals. It made for excellent swimming weather too, resulting in busy children racing to the lake to cool themselves down.

It also meant lesser clothes. And for Queen Susan the Gentle, it meant good view. A _really_ good view, as she was currently busy studying the strong muscles on a certain Telmarine's back, and she admired them as they rippled and flexed against the impact of the man's opponent.

Susan's cerulean eyes took in the sight of his tanned skin, a result of hours of shirtless swordfights in the sun combined with heritage. His tight skin was peppered of small scars, and somehow, they only added to his perfection. Of course, he was not a perfect man, such a man did not exist, but he was perfect in Susan's eyes. Perfect, marvellous, often temperamental, stubborn, loving, passionate, kind and a leader – a perfect marble statue with chips here and there to give it character. _Her_ perfect marble statue, she reminded herself as she bit her lower lip and cocked her head slightly, taking in the sight of a shirtless Caspian and his duel with Cain, a good friend and soldier – his bodyguard if you will. And right now, from what Susan could make out of the clashing and slashing of blades, Caspian had the upper hand, as he had an advantage in both muscle and height. Sweat was dripping from Cain's forehead, and dark curls was sticking to his temples, and whilst his gritted teeth revealed his struggles to defend himself against the High King's attacks, Caspian was merely playing with him, rounding him and charging in, like he was dancing effortlessly. Susan hummed lowly as she lost herself in thoughts (that people might decide to be highly inappropriate).

"Your turn." A voice interrupted her musing, and she turned towards the feminine voice. Susan blinked once, processed her words and readied another arrow, but couldn't manage to release it to secure a bull's-eye just yet. She inhaled deeply before letting it pass between her plump lips that she had captured Caspian staring at so many times before.

"Out of focus, your majesty?" the woman beside her teased knowingly, resulting in Susan releasing the arrow, only to watch it penetrate the red-painted wooden plate inches away from the bull's-eye (and her companions arrow) with a sigh.

"This heat's getting to me, Rhea," she argued lightly, and placed the tip of her bow down into the grass and leant on the length of the bow. She brushed her hair away from her face and over a bare shoulder, relishing in the sudden gust of wind passing her face. Her bare feet started to feel the coolness of the grass in the shadow of a sycamore tree. Rhea, her escort and guard looked at the Queen with playful hazel eyes, eyebrows raised.

"The heat, I see," she remarked, and turned her gaze to what had captured Susan's eye. She watched the two males duel, their blades coming down against each other again and again. Rhea knew full and well that it wasn't _exactly_ the heat that was bothering her Queen.

. . .

The High King was tired. It had been a long day, and with the heat in addition, the day had passed and worn him down efficiently. He sighed at the welcoming thought of taking a long soak in his grand bathroom. It featured a pool, but it was only used on special occasions. He had ordered it filled not too long ago, and was now looking forward to treating himself the freedom to soak and rid himself of that day's grime and sweat.

The large wooden door moaned in complaint as Caspian pushed them open and entered the room, only clad in a towel around his waist whilst in the privacy of his own chambers. His feet padded across the dark green tiles of stone, and he inhaled the fumes in the room. (He silently thanked the servant who had drawn his bath for adding the bath salts). The room was hot and steamy, though not in a smothering way. It was soothing, and he could already feel his slightly achy muscles start to relax.

However, he felt himself tense once again the moment he noticed something abnormal on the edge of the pool, just by his feet. He cocked his head at the strange clothing, and concluded that it was a cream-coloured dress, strangely enough. After looking at it for a thoughtful moment, he realised he was not alone in the room. He could hear splashes coming from the pool, and he turned his gaze to a collection of bubbles traveling to the surface in the middle of the pool. Not two seconds after he saw a female figure resurface as well, breathing in deeply before she opened her eyes to look at him expectantly. The water covered her from her collarbones and down in some form of covering her modesty.

It was Susan. Her dark eyelashes were slick, and her hair pushed back by the water. Caspian was stood dumbfounded at the new imagery before him, admiring both her beauty and boldness.

"Glad you could join me." She said, her voice low and sensual. Her arms swayed gently across the surface as she held her balance in the water, back and forth, creating small waves as they went. Caspian's jaw tightened and he scratched his short beard, as he had no idea what to do with his hand whilst still coping with the surprise of the situation that the two now found themselves in.

"What's the matter? Cat's got your tongue?" she teased with a bright smile, white teeth glittering in the flicker of the candlelight surrounding the room. Snapping out of it, he cleared his throat and managed to speak like a normal human being, not like some prepubescent boy smitten with puppy love.

"Forgive me, my Queen, I was merely taken aback at your presence, I wasn't expecting to find you here. Although I'm _very_ delighted, I'd like to know why you have come." He told her, a curious smile crossing his lips. He could barely make out her figure through the ripples in the water, but he felt himself grow hot at what he could make out, and at the very thought of her being _naked_ in his chambers.

"Join me, and I'll tell you," she said, a wicked smile crossing her full lips. He found himself staring at them again. She spoke again after a moment pregnant with silence had passed.

"Or you can stand and watch, it's fine by me either way, but I would very much prefer your … company," her eyes had grown bright blue with lust and desire, and she was looking at him in a way that made him clench his jaw once again. The V-shape at his waist was visible above the towel around his lower waist, and she could make out the trace of dark hair travelling downwards and out of view. She bit her lower lip as she took in the sight of his strong pectorals and refined abs. He was tall, broad and muscular, yet lean and tall. His tan skin and dark shoulder-length hair, together with his dark, short beard, made him look godly in her eyes as the candlelight flickered across his damp skin. She noticed the veins on his biceps were protruding as he tensed.

"The water's going to turn cold if you stand there much longer," she teased him, swimming a single stroke closer to the edge, but no further. "We can't let that happen, can we?" she said seductively, and with that, his leash broke. Whatever morals of chivalry and honour of a woman's reputation he had were now pushed so far back into his mind that he only had one thing on his mind – her.

His gaze still locked with hers, he removed his towel, dropped it on a nearby surface, and descended down the pool steps and into the water. Her smile showed both gratitude and pleasure. She studied his every movement, his body, how the water swallowed him step by step, and very discreetly, his impressive girth. He made his way to her, _oh so slowly_ , as he decided to proceed with caution. She hadn't stated her intentions verbally, but from reading her body language, he had a _very_ distinct feeling, one he was more than happy to oblige to.

Being so much taller than her, the water reached his ribcage and he had no problem standing in the depths, whilst she was almost swallowed whole, and she could therefore only swim towards him with a Queen's grace.

When she was an arms width away, he stopped. She however, did not. She executed her last stroke in the water and rested her hands on his shoulders as she looked up at him with a heated gaze. One of her small hands reached up and caressed his jaw; the short hairs of his beard tickled the inside of her palm.

"Please…" was her only plea, a mere whisper escaping her lips. His eyes, now a warm hazel because of the light was turned to hers, and he now knew that she was sincerely wishing for this, he could tell: it was in her eyes. Her chest was heaving up and down, as was his own.

A growl escaped his throat before his arms grasped at her waist, bringing her up against him and his lips came crashing down on hers. He swallowed her gasp as he devoured her, his lips working with hers. One large hand went to the back of her head as their tongues wrestled in the most magical way. She moaned both in pleasure and in surprise as he heisted her further up against his chest, resulting in her wrapping her slender, yet muscular legs around his narrow waist. He freed a hand to press her lower back further to him, bringing her heat against his pelvis. A moan escaped her lips and echoed throughout the room, as her head lolled back against his lips that were now working down the column of her throat, the nape of her neck, her shoulders. He marked her there, leaving the trace of a scarlet half-moon, of which he was sure would not disappear for a couple of days. He did not think of it, as her moan of pleasure had awakened other thoughts.

Her hands travelled up the planes of his back, and he felt her fingernails dig into his skin in the most pleasurable way. It was sensational and he moaned against her throat at the feeling. It triggered something in him, and she grinned as she _felt_ the result of her action against the back of her thigh.

Caspian carried her to the edge of the pool and sat down with her on his lap for their leverage. She sought out his lips and captured them with her own in haste. They kissed feverously, and she happily complied when he nudged her head back with his nose to attach to her neck once again. Her hands went to his hair, and she felt the thick, silken tresses between her fingers. She massaged his scalp, which earned her a deep moan and him gripping at her hips, pulling her closer to his centre. The inside of her thigh brushed against his throbbing member, and she trembled at the thought of the intimacy that she desperately needed and had craved for so long. However, Caspian misread her shivers. He stopped, and whilst heavy of breath, he met her gaze, now lidded and blank with desire.

"Are you sure we-" he began, but was cut short by Susan's lips. She gave him a quick and powerful kiss, before biting down on his lower lip. She felt more than she heard him growl.

" _Yes_. Don't you dare quit on me now," she said, a look of love and determination written upon her face. He studied her high and refined cheekbones as he caressed them with his thumb for a mere moment, before succumbing to her embrace, and crashing his lips against hers, allowing himself to drown in the passion this moment held.

He could feel her deliberately work herself against his aching member, and he was starting to doubt whether he could keep up much further if she kept this going. As if reading his mind, she traced her lips against his jaw and cheek, before reaching the shell of his ear.

"Take me to bed," she purred, and she felt his arms pulling her closer, as if it was even possible to close the space further between them. He then released an arm, braced himself against the pool wall, and heisted both of them off the ledge, her legs still entangled around his waist.

A yelp of surprise escaped her lips as she was lifted out of the pool and _literary_ taken to his king-sized bed.

. . .

His mouth never left hers as he crashed on top of her against the sheets of fur onto his bed. Still damp from their bath, his hand felt slick against her skin as he drew her thigh further up against his waist. Her hands busied themselves in the way she knew drove him more or less animalistic, one hand caressing his scalp, the other settling at the back of his neck, her fingernails teasing the short hairs there.

"Susan. . ." he groaned against her collarbone, blessing her with yet another lovebite.

The way he called her name, how he gave in to her touch made her bold and sudden wanting of a different taste. She wanted to see him come undone by her hands, watch him writhe and short of breath in total pleasure. And that was just what she was about to do – undo him.

She hooked her ankle around the back of his knee and flipped them over with a surprising amount of strength. He might be physically heavier and stronger than her, but Queen Susan managed by in the right moment.

The expression on his face when she straddled his lap and kissed down his throat and chest, making sure to graze her teeth over his Adam's apple in the process, was everything she had dreamt of seeing: his brows furrowed in slight confusion of their sudden change, his chocolate eyes dark with lust, his lips parted as he drew in breaths. When she followed the trail of his sternum, her feverish tongue tracing his pectorals, she made sure to gently nick at the tiny scars she could find. She travelled down his body and her hands caressed his thighs as she kissed her way down his abdominal muscles. When she reached just above his navel, and felt a trace of dark hair tickle her chin, his broken speech sobered her up.

"Susan…" it was her name, so simple, but it held so much power. She did not meet his gaze, but she did smile soundly. "Relax," she both advised and assured him.

One arm caressed her temple as the other rested on the sheets. She could hear it shuffle across the fur.

When she did take him in her hand, he released a guttural growl that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She nuzzled his hipbones, traced her tongue down the cleft of his waist, and made sure to take her sweet time. Her hand moved leisurely up and down his shaft, drawing soft moans out of the King. She felt the vein running up his shaft throbbing under her palm as she gripped and released him in just the right places, running her thumb across the slit as a response.

"Oh, Sue…" he moaned, and she smiled to herself. _There we go_ , she thought, and bent down to place a kiss upon the head, before finally taking him into her mouth. She heard his head fall down against the furs, a deep moan resonating from his chest.

She took him in all that she could, her lips wrapping around his wide girth, whilst her hand compensated for what she could not take in, meeting her lips as she started to bob up and down, her tongue circling the head.

The Telmarine-Narnian King could see stars as he lay on his back, concentrating on breathing as he felt sparks traveling up his spine and down to his very feet. The sight of Susan's full lips wrapped around his cock was enough to make him convulse in pleasure. He managed to busy his hand in her hair, not forcing her down on him further, but as a means of caress.

Feeling his fingers at her scalp, brushing her hair away, she released him before running her tongue up along the vein on the side of his long shaft. Once at the top, she met his gaze with sensual blue eyes for a brief moment, before wrapping her lips around him once again.

He was on the verge of erupting, and would have given her a fair warning, had she not looked up at him with lidded eyes and run her fingernails down his upper thigh, to trace the edge of the refined muscle there. He came with a groan, his head back against the furs, and he was more than a little amazed when he felt her throat tighten around his head.

She swallowed, before bending up and brushing a lock of hair out of her face. She licked away the last trace of his seeds from the corner of her mouth. As she crawled her way up his heaving body, she didn't say anything, but a carnal smile crossed her lips as she looked at him with lidded eyes, long dark lashes fluttered against her cheekbones.

When he met her gaze, he gripped her chin with his index finger and thumb and surprised her by bringing her lips down to his own. He could taste himself on her lips, but did not think much of it as he couldn't think of anything else but the desire to see her being the one to shatter in his arms. He sobered quickly as he hugged her flush close to his torso, raining kisses down her neck. Feeling her heat against his hip, he effortlessly, yet effectively flipped them over, her yelp of surprise rendering him grinning deliciously.

Her blue eyes, bright in anticipation, looked up at him as she had come short of breath. Her ebony hair was fanned out on the furs, and her chest heaved up and down as she was trapped underneath his weight. A creature of natural beauty and grace, she had stolen his heart a long time ago, but now in this moment, the image of her under him would be etched into his mind forever. He kissed her hungrily and her arms instinctively flung around his neck as he devoured her. When she had grown lightheaded as a result of his attention combined with the lack of air, her grip on him loosened, and he seized the opportunity to nip at her neck, before tracing his lips along her collarbones, kissing the dip in the centre. He braced his weight as he peppered kisses down to her breastbone, still moving downwards. He shivered as he heard her moan softly when he felt the weight of one of her breasts in his large hand, kneading just right. Providing the other with attention from his tongue and lips, she mewled at the stimulation. When she writhed against him, he left yet another lovebite above the swell of her breast, before proceeding to kiss down her chest and flat stomach. He gripped her waist as he had settled between her legs, kissing and nipping at her protruding hipbones. She held back a groan and bit her lower lip as she felt locks of his mane tickle the surface of her skin. He was being a tease, and she was determined that he was making up for earlier.

"Caspian," she growled impatiently, and she felt him chuckle devilishly against her skin.

"All in time, my sweet," he purred back, and her head fell down at his husky voice, filled with lust and desire. _Damn him,_ she thought as she bit down on her lip when he kissed the inside of her thigh, nipping at the soft, hot flesh there.

" _Cas_ -Ah!" she gasped as she gripped the furs under her palm, her torso lifting off the mattress at the feeling of his mouth on her core. Running his tongue along her slick folds, he gripped her thighs with his strong arms, separating them and prevented her from writhing.

 _Oh no,_ now it was his turn to wreck her. She cursed breathlessly, resulting in him chuckling against her centre. The vibration flicked against the bundle of nerves and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself together. But the feeling of his tongue tracing her wet pool firmly and thoroughly was too much, and sooner than what she might've wanted, she felt pleasure coil in her lower gut, nearing release. His arms held her against the bed in a vice grip, and she would be almost disappointed if she didn't find marks there in the morning.

Sucking hard on the bundle of nerves, she suddenly felt it all. His arms gripping her hard, his head between her legs, his lips upon her, his tongue now inside her, and his short beard grazing her slickness, and _oh God_ , her release came crashing in like a tidal wave slamming against the shore again and again.

Feeling her shudder and stiffen underneath his grip, Caspian made sure to draw out her climax, savouring the feeling of her against his mouth, relishing in her clean, sweet taste, his tongue working on until she couldn't bear it any longer. The length of her body dropped back onto the furs, and now she was the one to be short of breath and glossy-eyed in the aftermath of her climax.

"Don't think I'm done with you just yet, love," Caspian's voice suddenly purred against her lips before recapturing them in an ever-so hungry kiss. Finding strength, she reciprocated her famished King's kiss, feeling pure bliss and love for the man above her. Her hands travelled up his back, and she moaned softly at the feeling of his lips feasting on the pulse point on her neck. Her slender calves brushed against his thighs as an informal invitation, and she felt one of his hands grip her thigh in response. His lips worked on her neck, and she dug her nails into the skin on his back to bring him closer. An animalistic growl rumbled in his chest as he held her down against the furs, making her shudder in anticipation. It was also then she felt his very hard member poking at her thigh. She grinned in gratitude of the man's sexual prowess and endurance.

"Please…" she mewled against his shoulder in the most beautiful voice he had ever heard. With his grip on her thigh he forced them apart and slid into her with little effort, as she was still slick from his attention. With one full thrust, he was sheathed within her, feeling her warmth gripping him tightly and perfectly. Her name danced upon his lips as he kissed her hard and urgently. He was relieved that she relaxed against him with a deep and sensual sigh, and she stretched easily around him, making her familiar with his girth.

He took her for a slow dance at first, but when she started to move her hips with him, urging him on, his thrusts become more powerful. He was like a well-bred horse; all muscle, veins protruding, and his body flexible and strong, with stamina to go on forever, always doing his outmost to please his mistress and follow her orders.

His member hit her cervix at every thrust, and Susan moaned at the impact of his body slamming against hers. A thin layer of sweat glistened on his back in the candlelit room, and her arms raked at his ribcage. Groaning, he captured her ever-so tantalizing lips in a kiss, feeling himself go insane with built-up tension and pleasure as he bucked into her welcoming heat.

"Caspian, please…" she pleaded with a groan, and he sobered up as he heard her calling his name. It took all of his self-control to tear away from her, resulting in Susan letting out a low, disappointed whine from their disconnection. With a groan, he quickly flipped her over onto her stomach and positioned himself behind her. Surprised at first, yet very aroused, Susan yelped as she felt the sweet sting from his palm as he smacked her behind once. The sound of his hand against her flesh rang deliciously in her ears. He then tenderly caressed the spot before gripping at her waist, bringing himself into her from behind. She groaned delightfully at the feeling of his member penetrating her deeply, stroking the very special spot inside her in the process. His hips hit against the taut curve of her rear, and that was currently the only thing audible to her ears, the sound of flesh slamming against flesh combined with his pleasurable groans and sighs. Her breathing was raspy and quick as she lost herself in the feeling of being taken from behind, and she supported herself on shaking arms and elbows. A shiver rushed up her back as his fingers ghosted up the trace of her spine, caressing her back and hips. He slowed down his powerful, almost frantic thrusting and she felt his warm body pressing lightly against her back as he rained kisses between her shoulder blades.

Practically melting inside, Susan sighed happily at his tender touches, despite his ramming into her hard. The immense feeling made her arch her back with a moan as pleasure pooled in her core once again that evening. Feeling her clench tightly around him, he knew she was close. She gasped his name as she shuddered with her head thrown back, and as he pulled her closer with his iron grip around her hips, he rammed into her once before witnessing her release with a broken groan. The sight alone triggered his own orgasm, and he pulled out of her, only to spill his seeds onto the back of her thigh. Releasing her hips from his fingers, he crawled up behind her, kissing up her spine as he went. She fell down on the furs halfway onto her side, and Caspian's body joined her in the same fashion behind her with his front pressed against the length of her back.

The pair was not able to speak for several moments as they regained their breaths. Susan's eyes drooped close as she felt her pulse slow down and the adrenalinerush fade away. Caspian, still slightly out of breath behind her, planted lazy kisses onto her shoulder and draped a relaxed arm over her waist, relishing in the feeling of her hot body, so tiny and soft against him. Susan, still drunk on post-coital bliss, turned her head slightly and spoke in a gentle voice;

"Still glad I showed up in your bath?"

He brushed her long, dark mane away from her ear and hummed happily against her neck as he propped up on one elbow.

"You have no idea." He answered in a mere murmur against her ear. She lifted a hand up to his face and cupped his jaw.

"Good. I'd feel awful if I forced you to do anything you would otherwise not want," she told him sincerely, her voice honest yet kind. He shook his head at her, obviously dismissing the thought. However, the same concern crossed his mind.

"I could tell you the same thing … I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked her, a sudden streak of worry shone in his eyes. She giggled softly and looked at him with lidded eyes.

"Goodness, no. You would never," she said, her words honest as she was referring to their coupling, and his doubtful feelings were soon discarded as she smiled beautifully up at him.

"You're amazing…" he breathed against her lips before bending down to capture them in a sweet, lingering kiss. As he showered her with affection and devotion, she grew suddenly very aware of her surroundings. For one, she was resting on top of the furs on his bed, with him hovering above her from behind her shoulder. Secondly, nightfall had ascended a long time ago and it was now growing dark outside his window. The grand bedroom was lit up with candles, illuminating the room softly in a golden hue. A set of windows were stood opened, letting cool evening air and the sounds of nightfall inside. She could make out the faint sound of leaves rustling in the wind and the distant song of crickets. The room suddenly felt cold, but she was safe and sound underneath the warmth of his body. He almost felt feverish against her, but it felt nice upon her skin.

She also felt the need to tidy herself as her lower body was splattered with a not so nice, cold mix of their body fluids. She wriggled out from his embrace whilst giving his throat a playful graze of her teeth.

"I need to clean myself up," she excused herself with an innocent smile and stood up.

Caspian rolled onto his back and crossed his arms behind his head as he followed her with his gaze. She brought her arms above her head and twisted her spine as she stretched, her joints audibly popping in the process, before making her way through the set of doors leading to his bathroom.

He watched her in satisfaction and studied her figure with an appreciative hum. Long and slender, she had the curves in the right places, and her body was taut from archery, horse riding, hiking and climbing. Her pale skin contrasted her hair that had grown down to her waist in soft waves, which had also darkened in colour these last few years. Together with striking blue eyes, full lips and bust she was all in all an alluring creature, a beautiful and bodacious woman. On top of that, Susan was _not_ self-conscious. Not around him. She was not older than twenty years in her body, but her mind and soul was beyond her thirties, thus wiser and aware of herself in a good way, more knowing than what she might first reveal.

Caspian was reminded of that very fact as she ghosted over the floor towards the bathroom, her hips swaying sensually as she did. This earned him a very nice view of her elegant legs and the alluring curve of her behind. Once she closed the door behind her, the King let out a sigh. He was left alone with his thoughts, and as pleasant as they were, certain… images that he replayed in his mind made him grow hot for the third time that evening.

 _It'll be plenty of time for that_ , he thought as he stood up as well. Blowing out most of the candles, he pulled back the furs, as they were more of fashion than actual requirement in the summer, (and these particular ones needed a wash, needless to say). He then turned to the open windows to enjoy the gentle breeze in the evening. Lingering for just a moment, he shut one of them, leaving one open as he returned to the bed.

By the time Susan returned to the room, Caspian was blissfully snug and sated under the covers. His eyes had even started to droop close when he heard light feet pad across the wooden floor before feeling the mattress dip. He turned to his side and held up the covers for Susan to crawl under them, and he was pleasantly relieved when she buried herself into his welcoming arms, nuzzling against his embrace. Her skin felt chilly under his hot hands, and she shivered as his body heat engulfed her, warming her anew. She sighed against his chest and enjoyed the silence that followed. He combed his fingers through her silk tresses and she could have fallen asleep there and then, had it not been for the silence being broken.

"You alright?" Caspian felt the need to ask and get verbal consent on the matter. Thinking back, he might not have been _entirely_ gentle with her. She chuckled at that, feeling completely at peace with the world when his arms crept around her, and his nose buried in her lavender- and honey-scented hair.

"Never better," she purred against the nape of his neck, and she felt him smile against her hair in response.

"Are you sure? I can tell I haven't been entirely in control of my actions," he told her gently, subtly referring to the marks that were starting to bruise on her neck and throat down to her collarbones, and above the swell of her breasts. He ghosted the back of his fingers across the bruising lovebite on her collarbone. She did not flinch away from his touch.

" _Yes_ , you worrywart. You didn't hear any complaints, did you?" she teased as she scooted her hips closer to him, grinding against him to further enhance her point. A playful grin grazed his lips as one hand instinctively came to rest on her hip, his thumb brushing over the bone. He nuzzled his nose against hers, and she sighed at the tender gesture.

"No, but I shouldn't have been so forceful. I am to treasure you, not take you as a mere slam piece," he told her, a smile faintly visible as he spoke. Susan looked at him before releasing a sigh of humorous exasperation.

 _Men._

She surprised him yet again that night by pushing him onto his back, straddling his waist under the covers, and leaning down onto the length of his torso, her chest pressing against his. She rested her chin on top of her hands that were resting on his pectorals. Her nose was just inches apart from his. She looked him directly in the eyes whilst a smug smile appeared on her face as his hands held a light grip on her ribcage, tracing lazy patterns there.

"When are you going to learn that it's okay to sometimes just give in and take what you want? Caspian, you give so much of yourself to not just the kingdom as High King, but to everyone. You have every right to be a little selfish now and then," she told him. In a different setting, both royals would probably take this conversation a bit more seriously. But right now, they were sated and glowing in the aftermath of intercourse, both of their minds a bit clouded with bliss.

"What I want and what I ought to take are two very different things," he told her, his eyes suddenly wistful. She gently shook her head, her hair tickling his pectorals.

"Not the point. My point is that if _this_ is what you want, and I'm willing to give it to you, why shouldn't you take it? I understand the recklessness of it all, but frankly, at this point I don't care about morals the morals around finding love. If you feel different about that, do let me know," she said, feeling him shift under the covers.

"I don't, and you know that, but…" he sighed. "Giving in to you should not result in me physically marking you." He said, giving her a slightly apologetic look that made him look more like a puppy than anything else. She bent forward and kissed him, short and powerful. His hands ran up her back, a pleasant shiver surging up her spine. She moved from his lips to his neck and down to the nape of his neck.

"I should rectify that situation, then," she purred hotly against his skin, feeling him shift in response. He groaned as he felt her teeth bite down on his neck, not enough to break the skin, but enough to leave a bruise once come morning. He switched their positions and let her down against the mattress whilst settling himself between her legs. Her breath accelerated and her lips parted as he kissed along her jawbone before seeking her lips yet again for a short yet sweet kiss. Breaking apart, his gaze locked with hers.

"Now, allow me," he said, his voice husky and heavy with desire. And allow him, she did.

This time, it wasn't earthshattering like their previous union(s) had been. It was sweet and tender, and whilst they had created a piece of blissful heaven together earlier that night, he sure did not disappoint this time either, loving her with gentle touches and lips.

Afterwards, she lay with her face buried in the crook of his neck, an arm over his chest whilst tracing idle patterns on the other side of his neck. Holding her front against him with one arm behind her, the other stroked her arm draped over his chest as if it was the most natural thing in the world to him.

The room might have felt chilly in the crisp summer night, but his body felt hot against hers, and the warmth lulled her to sleep as they both felt on their exhaustion. Murmuring sweet nothings in her ear, he stopped once he heard her breathing even out, her naked body rising up and down evenly. Finding solace and comfort in her sleeping form, Caspian soon drifted off himself into a deep sleep, the best sleep he had had in a long time. Later, he realized why; the person he needed and treasured in life was also what he needed against his side when night fell.

* * *

 **A/N: Whoa, that turned out much longer than I expected it to be. Truthfully, it was fun to write! So maybe I will write something in the same fashion when the time is right.**

 **If you didn't already realize, I kept Caspian's look from "The Voyage of The Dawn Treader" (movieverse) as I seriously can't picture him any different in my stories any more. (I simply adore the look)**

 **Once again, please let me know whether you liked it, loved it or hated it! Lemons aren't my strong suit. And I hoped you liked the choice of soundtracks!**

 **Take care for now, and I shall see you soon enough.**

 **Yours,**

 **Dragon**


	8. Chapter 8 - fluffmorning after

**A/N: Hi, you!**

 **I had a sort of a breakthrough today, and realized I haven't written a fluff in quite a while, so I thought to give it a go now whilst I still had time!**

 **So enjoy, and I hope it strikes your fancy!**

 **I recommend listening to "The Kingdom of Bards," from Adrian von Ziegler whilst reading this x**

* * *

The birds announced the arrival of the day early in the morning before the sun came to kiss the sky, and while Queen Susan did not usually wake up with the birds, a certain blackbird that was perched on the windowsill closest to her roused her from heavy, dreamless sleep with its beautiful song that morning.

It occurred to the young High Queen's mind that it was much too early to begin the day, even for her, and she quickly decided that, _no_ , she was not to get up anytime soon, not before dawn.

And so she stretched liberatingly against the mattress before turning over to her side as she listened to the blackbird's chirping. She nuzzled her face against the fluffy pillows and revelled in the comfort of the sheets.

Just before allowing herself to doze off again, she felt strong, large arms snake around her front, and a muscular, broad chest press against her back. The very distinctive feeling of lips dragged lazily down her neck in gentle, warm kisses, and the faint sound of a very manly morning-groan escaped her bedmate's lips and came out as a warm breath against her shoulders.

Memories from the night before came to Susan's almost-awake mind, and she smiled at the reminder that she was indeed not alone in this bed. No, for she had spent the evening with Caspian, who had absolutely carried her away into the night. (She could tell from the wonderful aches she suffered from their previous actions some long hours ago)

Caspian's arms were large enough to coil completely around her, and she pressed her body against his in response. She shivered at the feeling of his hot skin against hers in the chill early, _early_ morning air that surrounded the room, and she could feel more than hear the appreciative hum escaping Caspian's lips.

"Five more minutes?" he murmured warmly against her neck, and his husky voice subconsciously made her yawn before she could answer, her voice equally tainted with sleep.

"More like five more hours."

"Maybe we might do just that," Caspian agreed with a small yawn, before burying his face into her silky hair and inhaled the smell of lavender and honey.

"Hmm, if only… We have work to do today, remember?" she reminded him with closed eyes, her shoulders slumping slightly under his embrace at the thought of actually leaving the bed. He too, repressed a similar reaction.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot; there's a world outside these doors," he said, his voice tainted with less suitable sarcasm, making her only scoff slightly, and nudge him gently in his ribs as far as she could under his arms that were more than happily coiled around her.

"How awfully disappointing," she agreed humorously before turning in his arms to bury her head against his strong chest and nuzzle against the warmth he provided.

The smooth, milky skin of her back was now exposed to his touch, and as she stilled against his side, he could not resist the desire to touch her velvety skin, and he started to make a trail up and down her spine with gentle fingers, instinctively tracing idle patterns here and there. She purred against him in delight and a blissful smile made its way across his lips at the beautiful sight lain before him.

A Queen of legend, as beautiful as in the tales, (to him, the fairytales he learned as a boy did not do her beauty justice) and stronger than all the women he had ever known. She was a Queen of Old, yes, but so much more than that: and he loved her unconditionally. He loved her sense of humour, her wits, and the fact that she was so very clever. She was like a book, full of knowledge that amazed him time and time again, (An otherwise unusual trait in Telmarine women.)

Some thought her otherworldly, because of her appearance, status and smarts. Well, she _was_ , in a sense. But none of that mattered to Caspian. What mattered was that he had fallen for _her_ , and her alone.

What also mattered was that she was now snoozing peacefully against his side, her body small and lithe against his, and he felt truly blessed for it.

Taking in her form, he ghosted a hand across her back, past her shoulders, and into her hair to feel the silky-black tresses between his fingers. Her hair had grown past her waist, and as of now, it was slightly mussed from both sleep and… other physical acts. Her neck and collarbones had several bruises from him claiming her earlier. At first he had regretted for marking her so severely, but now, seeing her resting peacefully against him with a small tug at the corners of her mouth as he stroked her hair, he did not think much of it. She had reassured him that she had several creative ideas at hand in ways of covering them without raising suspicion. And so he trusted her at that.

Stroking her cheekbones and jaw, he felt her smile widen at his gentle touch and her head lean against his hand as far as her sleep ridden system could manage before falling against his chest again with a gentle sigh.

After a while of tender caresses and sweet nothings, her soulful blue eyes opened to look up at him for the first time that morning. She did not say a word at first, but after a while, he could practically hear the clockworks tick in her head. He read that expression fairly well by now: her gaze looked away from whatever had had her attention some time ago, and even if she was looking at it, she wasn't playing attention to it. Her eyes went sort of blank, and she would bite down on her lip in concentration.

Right now, her eyes went recognizably blank, and her body tensed by the slightest. He was to ask what was on her mind, but not before she spoke:

"Do you think we are being reckless?" she asked him. He had feared as much. Yet her eyes weren't regretful, she wasn't pulling away from him, nothing. Her eyes held honesty with a tinge of curiosity, and her body remained the same against his, her fingernails now brushing against his tan skin in circles.

"Are you having second thoughts?" he asked her, in case he misread her. She could feel him tense under her palm, but reassured him with a soft shake of her head.

"No, definitely not. I came to you, remember? But, I'm just thinking… Since we are not wed yet and all. I know adultery is not a crime, but it certainly is _obscene_ \- especially between royals." She told him, her voice gentle and honest. He grew quiet as he thought of this.

"Maybe we are, maybe we aren't. The way I see it," he began after a moment of thoughtful silence. He switched their positions, and she was now on her back with him bracing his weight on his elbows above her as he met her gaze. "I love you, you are _mine_ , and if I recall correctly, you reciprocated with the same wordsast night," he said with a devilish grin upon his face. She rolled her eyes at him teasingly, but paid attention to his words nevertheless.

"And so, I think it is only fair. We aren't traditional, I know, but as far as I'm aware, no one else knows that. So morally, yes, we are being reckless, but between you and me, _no_ , definitely not." He finished by kissing her on top of her nose before locking his gaze with hers.

"Good. I feared you thought otherwise. I mean, had my brothers found out, I can't imagine how any of us, especially you, would come out of this alive. And the council, dear lord, where to begin… Possibly losing our titles, distrust from the people, judgement from our-" Susan did not make it further as she ranted on, for Caspian had claimed her lips with his in a short, yet firm kiss to silence her. When he tore away from her, she was indeed silenced in the most wonderful way. He smiled that lopsided smile she loved all too much, before leaning down for another kiss.

"You think too much." He murmured warmly against her lips. She hummed in response as she caressed his beard.

"However, if your chambermaids are gossiping about your unmade bed, it's too late to rectify the situation," he said with a grin.

"Well then, I'll simply have to bribe them to keep it to themselves, don't I?"

"It would seem so," he agreed with a chuckle as he slumped against her and brought her closer to him in a loving embrace. He sought out her lips and kissed her hungrily and whilst she weakened in his arms, his passion for her only grew.

However, their moment was soon interrupted as they heard an incisive knocking on the chamber door, resulting in them breaking apart with a startled gasp. Caspian sat up in alarm whilst she hugged the sheets up against her chest, as she leant her back against the headboard on the bed.

"Yes?" Caspian said, his voice firmer than he had intended it to be.

"An urgent matter, my lord." The guard voiced from outside the door. Caspian sighed heavily, and it was no doubt heard from the other side of the door as well, for the guard enhanced the issue further:

"General Glenstorm has requested your presence in the Grand Hall." Caspian looked at Susan, who of course stayed perfectly still in fear of being caught.

"I will join him in a few moments. Please carry the message forward." Caspian spoke his voice firm, if not still ridden with huskiness from before.

"Yes, my lord," the guard said, and it wasn't before they heard the sound of his boots walk against the stone floor that Caspian released the breath he didn't even know he was holding in.

"Well, that was too close to comfort," Susan said as he turned back to her as she lay against the mattress, looking less tense than before.

"You've got that right," he said as he draped a hand over his face.

She surprised him by laughing at the whole situation. Her merry laugh, turning more into a husky chuckle, was a delight to his ears, and he could not help but laugh along. He leant forward and kissed her, before standing up to dress.

Susan was more than enjoying the view of his muscled and refined, yet lean body as he moved around the room to dress, naked as the day he was born. She bit her lip at how the muscles rippled as he tugged at the belt of his trousers, and how they tensed as he stretched. Lost in admiration of his masculine form, Susan suddenly remembered that she too had to face the day, _without_ being spotted leaving his chambers.

"So, how do we do this, Caspian? I have to get to my own chambers to get ready for the day," she asked as she sat up in bed, the duvet up against her frame.

Caspian turned to her in only his trousers, looking as mouth-watering as ever with tan skin and dark, tousled hair.

"As I leave, I will dismiss the guards outside. That should give you a moment to slip by unnoticed before the new watch arrive," he told her with a smile as he found a grey shirt.

"Brilliant," she said underneath a stretch of her arms, and in that moment, she looked too desirable for him to resist temptation, and he made his way back to bed and crawled over her body to kiss her. He cupped her jaw as he kissed her deeply, and she fisted his loose shirt to bring him closer.

Breaking apart when air became a necessity, they locked gazes before she planted a loving kiss on the tip of his nose.

"Now, go," she told him, giving him a slight nudge onto his shoulder.

"I shall see you tonight, my Queen," Caspian said, no, _vowed_ , and took one of her hands in his, lifted it to his lips, and placed a kiss upon it, before tearing away from her.

"Count on it," she agreed with the smile that he was so fond of.

Susan looked after him as he closed the door behind him and then turned her gaze to the weak sunlight that peeped over the mountaintops, and she closed her eyes and sighed at the feeling of the warm rays against her face.

It meant a new dawn, and a new day.

This morning, however, had been Susan's best morning in a long while, if not the best morning that she could ever recall.

She smiled as she ghosted her fingers across her lips, recalling the imprint her King's soft ones had left, and the girly, un-queenly, illogical part of her head couldn't wait until they met again.

Maybe it wasn't so illogical after all, as she had found out and accepted a long time ago that Caspian was more than her King – he was the man that made her a better person, he opened her up and made her feel alive and truly, the luckiest Queen of them all. He might not be a perfect man, no, but he was perfect to her. He challenged her, he saw her as _Susan Pevensie_ , not High Queen Susan of the Horn or any other of the titles she bore.

Moreover, he completed her.

And she was ever grateful for that.

* * *

 **A/N: I think that turned out okay! This snippet might have been an unnecessary addition to the story, but frankly, I love small fluffy moments like these, and I don't think this ship has nearly enough of them.**

 **So, feel free to leave me some feedback, be it you liked it or hated it!**

 **And I will return with more later!**

 **Yours,**

 **Dragon**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey! Back at it with another shot! I really don't hope you're all dozing off as I go on with this story (or whatever you want to call it, as it is a collection of one-shots that might go as a story). I really enjoy writing this, and I hope you enjoy them as well x**

 **Now, enough from me and go on with your reading! X**

 **I recommend listening to "Ode to the Fallen" from** _ **Adrian Von Ziegler**_ **to this one-shot!**

* * *

"Good afternoon, your majesty," a servant greeted Susan with a genuine smile and a little bow as they passed in the hallway. The Queen smiled back at the older, plump woman before carrying on.

The Gentle Queen had had a very good day, a good one indeed. She wouldn't admit to herself that it was because of last night, but deep inside she was very aware of the fact that it was in fact because of last night with her King. She smiled to herself, thinking that she may bump into him in the royal common room, and make her day become even better.

However, she would soon find out that some days are not meant to be spent in constant happiness.

For when she opened the grand, wooden doors to the common room, her older brother was seated by the fire there, reading, (much to her surprise). There was nothing wrong with that, of course, but King Peter the Magnificent was not in such a magnificent mood that afternoon.

"Hi, Pete," she greeted with a smile. The reply was not that friendly. Looking up from his book, Peter stared at her with his blue gaze for a second, before shutting his book and sitting up, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I wanted to have a talk with you." Peter said. Not coldly, yet not excitedly either – not that ' _we need to talk'_ ever meant happy. She frowned as she rested her hands on the back of a chair.

"About?" she questioned with a cocked dark brow. She flipped through the images of their encounters these last days to try and think of what she might or might not have said to him these last days. She heard Peter exhale from where he was seated and returned her attention to him.

"I do have my little network around the castle. I wouldn't call them spies, but… Things go around, Susan. Very quickly. And luckily I was able to prevent a certain matter from slipping today, as it is _definitely_ not gossip that should spread around and into wrong ears." He begun, barely looking at her. Susan had a certain feeling what he was referring to, yet she could not understand _how_ he would be able to know.

"Peter, don't go around the mud with me. If you have something to say, say it." Susan said coldly with her chin up and her intense blue gaze penetrating his. Her brother stood up.

"One of the guards saw you leaving Caspian's chambers this morning."

Susan froze.

"So it is true." Peter said, as she did not reply. He had the 'protective brother'-look all over him, but Susan knew that this wasn't just about thawing his heart with something sappy. This matter was concerning in relation to politics as well, and they could not afford a case like this spilling.

"Yes. However, I see my tactics of being unspotted did not go as planned," she said, more to herself than to him.

"I really wouldn't have thought that _you_ , of all beings, would ever be that reckless, Susan Pevensie. Do you understand what could have happened if this went around?" She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to think of something logical to shut him up and make him listen.

"Yes, the consequences did occur to mind, but had I known about your 'little network', as you call it, I would have been more cautious," Susan explained, her hands gripping more tightly on the back of the velvety chair.

"The network doesn't matter, Susan!" he exclaimed and threw out his arms in exasperation. He took a deep breath to calm himself, before continuing:

"The guard will not bring this matter forth, I made sure of that. The thing that concerns me is that you, my own sister, _the High Queen_ , went against the word of law and tradition! Have you any idea how ugly this would be if it _did_ go around?" he spat, his movements becoming more rigid in both disappointment and rage. Susan had to refrain herself from rolling her eyes at him before she spoke.

"But it didn't, Peter. So I don't think that your _what-if_ s matters at all right now. And as for me leaving Caspian's chambers this morning, then yes, even though it is all assumption from you, I admit I spent the night with him, and _I do not regret it_. Is that what you wanted to hear?" she spat back, as moved away from the seat and closer to him.

"Do you think that I, your brother, want to hear that that Telmarine has had his way with you?" he asked her sarcastically, crossing his arms. She narrowed her gaze at him, and he knew from that look alone that hellfire would now appear, Aslan preserve him.

"He did not have 'his way' with me!" she protested, her voice rising as well.

"Irrelevant! Susan, you _slept_ with him! You are not married, and I pray to God that you aren't his mistress as well. The influence that would have on… on…" he continued, and as she had predicted, it was the same rambling she heard in her own head last night.

"So what if I slept with him?" she interrupted, and moved to stand in front of him before continuing, "Peter, I love him, and just as important, Caspian loves me too. What have I done wrong in this situation? It was _one_ night, one I will not forget, neither do I want to. I thought you approved of him… And why exactly is my personal life your business anyways?"

"I'm you brother, and I, in our father's stead, allowed Caspian to court you because I thought him a noble man and worthy of you. Not to bed you the moment he had the chance!" Peter shouted, his harsh gaze punishing her. Susan, however, did not falter.

"Oh, lay off, you know that Caspian would not do anything to hurt me! He has honest motives, as have I, and you know this, Peter! What is the harm in declaring our love to each other?"

The two siblings were fuming. Standing so close to each other with raised voices, both Susan and Peter felt overwhelmed with pain as they fought. Susan had never admitted to these feelings before, especially not to Peter, but now, her heart was speaking for her as it was out in this battlefield. Peter, struggling to accept the fact that his sister was a grown woman, only wanted to understand, but found that he struggled to find the right words, and ended up using the only hurtful ones.

From outside, the siblings were not heard. Therefore, thinking everything was right in the world, Lucy and Eustace walked in as they chatted merrily, followed by Caspian who held the door. They soon stopped dead in their tracks, however, as they heard the harsh voices of the older Pevensies, more specifically, Peter's.

"I trusted you were smart enough to _think_ before acting like some whore!" Peter shouted at her. Whereas Lucy and Eustace gasped at Peter's words, Caspian frowned and was to step forward to speak as he had picked up on what he was referring to, only to be stopped at what he saw next;

Susan slapped Peter across the face with the back of her hand. Hard.

The sound echoed across the room, making her younger sister and cousin jump.

"And _I_ trusted _you_ to know that I am very much capable of taking care of myself, Peter Pevensie! Some brother you are for assuming otherwise. But what do I know, I am merely a whore to you!" she shouted to him, her face pale, her blue eyes sparkling with anger and disappointment. Peter lifted a hand to his face as he faltered a step, still feeling the painful sting her hand had left.

And with no words left to say, Susan turned on her heel and walked away from him. Lucy and Eustace moved out of the way, both dumbfounded by what had just happened and they ended up staring after her with open mouths. Susan brushed quickly past Caspian, not being able to look or talk to him right now.

"Susan-" he tried softly, but she was walking steadily down the hall with no intentions of turning. The doors closed.

"Susan!" Peter called after her, now realising what he had done. But to no avail, the damage had been done.

Lucy turned to her red-cheeked brother, who sighed and ran a hand down his face in despair.

"Peter Pevensie, what an awful thing to say!" Lucy exclaimed after a moment of stunned silence, and moved forwards to defend her sister. "What on earth brought this on?" she demanded to know, her queenly mirage stepping through on instinct. From behind her, Caspian stood up to speak.

"I have a feeling you would like to include me in this," he said in a firm voice, his gaze settling on Peter. The latter straightened up and crossed his arms, before answering;

"I do, actually. But this is between you and me," Peter pointed at Caspian as in enhancing the meaning behind it. Caspian looked back over his shoulder to Lucy apologetically, and the young girl grabbed Eustace's arm in understanding.

"Come on Eustace, we'll leave them to… figure this out," Lucy said carefully, and led her still confused cousin towards the exit.

" _Like proper grownups_!" she called after them before closing the doors behind her.

The two men were now alone in the room, not too far from each other. Peter ran a hand over his face again.

"Peter, I just want you to know that we-" Caspian began, his voice firm but honest.

"What were you two thinking?" Peter interrupted, starting where he left off with Susan.

"Well, we-"

"Have you any idea what this means?" Peter continued, not as riled up as he was a minute ago, but his voice was still unsteadily cold. Caspian exhaled through his nose in frustration.

"If you will stop interrupting me, I'll tell you," the dark-haired man spoke firmly. Peter's mouth turned into a thin line, but he calmed and turned to him expectantly.

"This whole situation means one important thing: I love Susan. I love her and would not do anything to dishonour or hurt her. This might seem controversial to you, I am aware, I would probably react in the same way, had I been in your position. But that is not the case; hence I will have to speak as the man who bedded your sister." Caspian started, never avoiding eye-contact with Peter, who was now sighing deeply at his last sentence.

"Firstly, I never intended to bed her. Not before marriage. Her honour means more than my life, and she is aware of this duty I have, to protect her. But… She came to me. I'm not saying this to put any sort of blame on her; I am merely saying this to give you some understanding that her wishes around this sensitive issue were genuine. She has genuine feelings, as do I, and despite how difficult it may be to describe this to you, I want you to understand that nothing was forced, the laws be damned," Caspian explained, and much to his surprise, Peter did not speak once. He was listening with his 'big brother'-expression on his face, his arms still crossed.

"I love her, Peter, and I'm sorry if this has caused you problems, but know that I will treasure her, no matter what. _I do not regret_ last night, nor will I forget it, however unplanned it was. And yes, I am aware how unmoral this might have been, but we didn't…" Caspian said, but was uncertain how to press forward without being crude or disrespectful.

"You didn't think much last night, did you?" Peter said, and much to Caspian's surprise, the eldest Pevensie's mouth was slightly tugged up into a skew smile. Caspian reddened slightly and looked down to the floor as he ran his hand through his beard, not quite knowing how to respond to that.

In truth, Peter was amused that they had said the exact same thing regarding last night. No regrets, never to forget. It made him feel better around the situation, yes, but he was no less assured. So he continued, with a more relaxed posture.

"But from now on, you will. I don't want another guard come and report to me of these things, understood? This is the first and last time I ever want to hear of this." Peter said firmly, as he locked gazes with Caspian. The High King nodded sincerely.

"You have my word."

Peter merely nodded, before starting to step thoughtfully around the room.

"Now I have something I would like to say," Caspian said in a firm voice. Peter looked expectantly at him.

"You will apologize to her. What you said is not acceptable, Peter."

Peter sighed and looked away, feeling shameful for having called her such a disgraceful word.

"I went too far, I realize that now. I didn't mean it, it just ..." Peter sighed yet again.

"We all sometimes say things we don't mean."

"Hmm, yes. No matter how petty they are…"

"That's why you'll apologize to her. She knows you didn't mean it; you were both speaking in anger."

Peter scratched the back of his neck. Caspian cleared his throat and decided to speak again.

"I will find her and let you sort this on your own for a while. And then, you two will be ready to talk in time." Caspian propositioned in a reassuring tone.

"Yes, yes. I just need some time to think, if that's alright." Peter agreed and sat down in a nearby chair with a slight _off!_ Caspian smiled.

"Sure."

. . .

Susan leant against the stone railing on one of the outposts on the outer walls of the castle, with a blank stare out towards the ocean. The wind pushed her hair away from her face and it cascaded in long wavy tresses down her back. Noticing an approach in the corner of her eye, she turned towards the masculine figure slowly approaching. Trying to read her expression as she turned back towards the sea, he kept going until he was stood beside her and leaning on the railing, copying her.

"Are you alright?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"Peter knows." She replied, avoiding the subject of her fight with her brother.

"Yes. I talked to him." She slowly turned her head towards him, clearly intrigued (and discreetly checking out his face for a broken nose and cuts. She was surprised, yet very relieved to see that he was still the handsome High King with no bruises whatsoever.)

"And you're alive to tell the tale?" she said, trying to be humoristic, but because of her mood it turned out sounding quite sarcastic.

"I'm here, aren't I?" he replied with a smirk. She tried for a smile, before turning her gaze back to the horizon.

"I think he's more understanding towards the situation now, at least." He told her.

"Oh, really?" Susan was not convinced.

"Yes. He realized his mistake, and he wants to talk to you about it… properly." Still not convinced, she let out a barely audible snort. Caspian decided to retry;

"He'd like to apologize to you for what he said. He's put what happened last night behind him, I assure you. Now, his concern is how his rage inflicted you, and he wants to make things right again." he said, his voice gentle. Susan straightened up with a sigh.

"Well, I acted pretty rashly too, I suppose we both need to make amends."

"Good, I'm glad," he agreed with a warm smile. "Nice backhanding, though," he added with an amused smirk. She looked at him with a raised brow, her full lips turned up into a coy smile. "Don't tell him I said that," Caspian added, making her chuckle softly.

"I won't. But I wouldn't call it 'nice' though, it wasn't a nice thing to do at all, but I was angry, and he was being an arse, and-" Caspian's laugh stopped her from rambling on.

"Love, it's alright, I understand." He said reassuringly under his chuckle.

Susan took a deep breath before releasing it slowly, steadying herself.

"Do you want to go back?" he asked her softly, as he practically felt her tension.

"Let's." she agreed after a moment of thought.

He took her small hand in his, and together they made their way down from the walls and inside the castle.

. . .

Peter was sat towards the fireplace when she entered the room for the second time that day.

He turned towards her the moment he heard the doors shut close. He quickly stood up.

"Susan, I-"

"Peter-"

They both started at the same time. Peter raised his hand to silence her, indicating he wanted to speak first.

"Su, I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it, you must know that. I was angry, and it toppled over my head. I am truly sorry for it. And I am also sorry for being so harsh on you. I just want what's best for you, and I'm only looking after you. I can't apologize for that… But I will apologize for being stupid. Sue, I'm so sorry," Peter said, his voice sincere, and his eyes soft.

Susan walked closer to him to join him by the fireplace. She looked at him with a small smile upon her lips.

"I know, Peter." She began. She looked down to the ground in shame for having hit her own brother.

"I'm sorry, too. Truly. I should have known better than to lash out like that, quite literary lash out. I had done it before I even knew what happened, but I did not mean it to. I hope you can see that," Peter shrugged her apology off and pulled her into a warm hug instead.

"It's alright, I probably deserved it anyways."

"Not even my impossibly stubborn, thick-headed brother deserves a strike to the face," she chuckled into his shoulder. This made him smiled into her hair.

"I'm sorry, but stubbornness and thick-headedness is included in the brotherhood-package." He said cheekily as they broke apart. She looked at him with pleading blue eyes and met his gaze.

"Please show some understanding," she said softly, making him sigh heavily.

"I want you to be careful from now on, Sue," he compromised, making her shrug.

"I'm the very soul of caution." She said, a tender smile crossing her lips. He gave her a certain look that made her give in and nod, confirming that she would. Pleased, Peter gave her another hug for good measure.

"Love you, Su."

"You too, Pete."

* * *

 **A/N: I thought I had to bring some conflict into this story, no matter how small it is.**

 **I've read so many stories where Peter has beaten up Caspian for sleeping with Susan, and so decided that my story will not be one of those. I just don't see Peter as** _ **that**_ **unreasonable. So I have spiced things up a bit and let Susan be the spontaneous one here.**

 **I think it went alright!**

 **If you strongly disagree, please let me know in the reviews or as a PM! Always like to read you feedback! X Have a merry Christmas, dear readers! X**

 **For now,**

 **Dragon.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: /HAPPY NEW YEAR!/**

 **Hey, lovelies! I am back with a little something (6000 words AHEM AHEM) that I think some of you will like. I won't say much until you start your reading, but I can tell you this much: Susan and Caspian are taking the next step into their relationship, and I am not talking about being intimate! (We are WAY beyond that)! And so, I hope you will enjoy this chapter! But, I must add: heed my warning:**

 **This chapter contains a wee lemon. Hence, if you don't want to read mild, sweet smut, I don't suggest reading part 4 out of part 1/5 in this chapter.**

 **But I would be very appreciative if you do, in order to get some feedback!**

 **I apologize for whatever wrong grammar you may find; this Norwegian tries its best!**

 **Soundtrack suggestions: IN ORDER; "Síocháin Shuthain" - Adrian von Ziegler, "Cuzco" – E.S. Posthumus,** _ **and for the lemon, I wrote whilst listening to**_ _ **"Get Lucky" (cover) – Daughter.**_ _ **The lyrics doesn't really fit, but I love the mood of the song, it's so sensual.**_

 **Alright then, that should be it. Do proceed! There may or may not be some more rambling at the bottom, do what thou wilt with that.**

 **For now, enjoy!**

* * *

Naked feet ran soundlessly across the grass, chased by the sound of black leather boots thudding against the soft ground. Feminine giggles echoed through the green apple tree garden as the woman ran away from her pursuer.

It was all in good play, of course, for the Gentle High Queen had allowed herself such a privilege that day. After spending all morning and noon with her nose down in paperwork together with the High King, they decided that afternoon that they would go out for a stretch. And so, she found herself with her chosen High King Caspian in a loving game of tag, and was currently being chased through Cair Paravel's grand apple gardens. Her cream dress with long sleeves and skirt, along with her long mane of ebony hair fluttered tauntingly behind her in the wind as she ran between the dark trunks of the trees in her best attempt of running away from her King. His deep laughter behind her revealed the fact that she was not quite quick enough, however nimble her feet were. She made a haste decision, and rounded a dark trunk that stretched up into two branches, before turning. The path between her and her lover was cut. The pair was now at a momentary stop, their breaths heavy, and she smirked whilst sending him a wink, before resuming her flight.

"Minx." Caspian called after her with a toothy grin, but never the less, chased after his girl.

To lose him, Susan zigzagged through several trees in hopes of making him admit his failure in catching her. He may be faster than her, but she was the lithe one.

Not being able to hear his footsteps any longer, she allowed herself to turn and look between the trees behind her, resulting in a victorious smirk crossing her face when she could not spot her pursuer. Thinking she was safe, she slowed down to a walk – and payed the prize.

She heard his footsteps at first, but were not able to react, for he had the moment after grasped her waist and tackled them both to the ground, her squeal of surprise ringing through the field as he did. They both started laughing at his victory, and Caspian looked down at her from his place above her, the most besotted look upon his face. He had her arms pinned at the side of her head with his legs straddling hers, whilst his dark gaze penetrated her icy, blue one.

"Got you," he panted with a carnal grin, making her roll her eyes with a loving smile.

"Congratulations, you must be so proud," she teased back, trying to pry free as she wriggled underneath him breathlessly.

"Oh no, you!" he warned her. She paid no heed, and yet again suffered the consequences. He tickled her ribs, and she thrashed under his arms whilst trying to find the strength and push him off her. The attempt was of course unsuccessful, considering their difference in size.

Her beautiful laughter distracted him enough to unable him from hearing what she was saying under her short breaths at first.

" _Stop-I-can't-breathe-please_!" she managed to force out before another laughing-fit caught her. Feeling merciful, he let her go and instead laid down on his front beside her, one arm resting on her stomach whilst the other propped his head up. He was still wearing that smug smile by the time she had regained enough breath to speak like a proper human being.

"I hate you," she said with a sigh, making him grin even wider.

"Sure you do," he agreed with a chuckle as he watched her laying on her back, still a little breathless. Her hair was fanned out on the grass, and her ample bosom rose and sunk deeply. Her eyes blue, almost grey in excitement together with a slight flush to her cheeks and refined cheekbones, she looked too resisting in their compromising position for him to not kiss her right there and then. He bent down and captured her ever-so-tempting, full lips with his. Humming into the kiss, she reached up and cupped his dark-bearded jaw with one hand, the other resting on his shoulder. His shoulder-length, dark hair framed his face, tickling her cheeks as his mane brushed against her skin. Feeling her giggling against his lips, he pulled away, and gazed down at her instead. She propped her arm behind her head as a makeshift pillow, and whilst she looked at him with lidded eyes for a moment, her gaze moved to her free hand that was now fingering a dark lock of his hair, and a fascinated smile graced her plump lips. Transfixed by how her long, black eyelashes flickered against her cheeks and the shadows they created, he distantly felt her play with his hair. Thrown back to the now, he grew self-conscious by the slightest, and decided to ask her about the matter.

"Too long?" he asked innocently, (mentioning to his hair) A gentle smile graced her lips as she looked at him again, twirling the strand around her slender finger, tugging ever so lightly.

"No, I like it. It suits you…" she said, her voice genuine. Really, the man suited practically everything, she couldn't fathom why he would ask such a silly thing. She would love him, mane or no. _Even a potato sack looks good on the beautiful one_ , like her mother used to say. The fact that he was wearing nothing more than black trousers and boots, together with a simple white shirt with open ties at his chest proved that that statement applied to the specimen above her.

He smiled cheekily down at her.

"But I won't be able to grow it as long as you, dear," he said humorously, motioning to her thick hair that flowed all the way down to her behind. She rolled her eyes at him again.

"It's not _that_ long," she said defensively in the cutest way. He shrugged.

"Well, long enough to make me puzzled as to how you can maintain it," he said with smiling eyes.

"If you think this is long, it grew to my ankles at some point in the Golden Age," she chuckled, and he cocked a dark brow whilst looking at her incredulously.

"Okay, you're right, it's not that long," he said defeated, making her giggle.

"Oh sweetheart, don't worry your head about hair. What you _should_ be worried about, is the amount of green-stains that I'll find on my dress at the end of the day!" she said under her chuckles, making him laugh deeply along.

. . .

The pair was strolling under the branches of the apple trees and in the shade from the sun. A couple of brimstone butterflies flickered in front of Caspian's nose, before the two yellow-winged creatures kissed, and flew on. Susan giggled at the sight.

It was quite lovely out here. The sun, the soft grass and the trees made the place very private, and perfect for thoughtful walks, or leisurely strolls like these. As a bonus, the smell of fresh grass and citrusy green apples contrasted the smell of salty seas that usually surrounded the castle.

"I love summers like these…" Susan mused, mostly to herself, but Caspian could hear her right beside her. He hummed in agreement. The slightest breeze had just begun to pick up, and it was very welcomed, for the sun stood high and hot above them. They revelled in the shade as the sound of tit, blackbirds and rustling leaves surrounded them. Caspian noticed too, that summer had grown to be his favourite time of year in Narnia. He hadn't thought much of it, but he realized it was the people in his life, and a very specific person, that made him appreciate times like these.

Caspian had been alone for a very long time, and even though he had, and still have, loyal friends, associates, and people, he had had nothing close to family before the Pevensies appeared in his life. They were like family to him (that included Eustace), and that would never change. Hence, he had never really appreciated each and every day of every season to the fullest before he met the royal siblings, and especially Susan. He hoped she felt the same, well, more specifically, about spending time with him. She opened his eyes to everything that was beautiful in this world, be it small or great things. In the end, he had learned that it was the small things in the world that mattered the most. But the greatest thing in his life that he treasured, was this new life he was given, _blessed_ with by Aslan the Great Lion himself. From being doomed to execution by Miraz's castle guard, fleeing, and fighting for the Narnian's kingdom, resulting in murdering people of his own kind in the battle of Beruna, to being given what was rightfully his: his throne, a people and his royal title. Three years into his lonely reign, the four siblings and their cousin came back to Narnia and into his life. Along with them he was given a new life… And now, High Queen Susan the Gentle played a very large part of that new life. A part he did not want to lose, and a part he wanted to claim.

He had discussed a certain matter with her brothers, and they, after giving him a very long speech about honour and chivalry, (including a few threats) had agreed to his decision. A decision Susan were oblivious to, of course. Caspian also decided further that now would be the best time to… 'Discuss the matter' with her as well.

"I have grown to like the season too," Caspian said as he ducked under a branch. He often had to, being so tall. Susan however, did not have that problem, because of her petite size. She could not even reach up to the lowest of branches in these gardens. Caspian were reminded of this fleet fact when he noticed a ripe, green apple hanging from a low branch that was within his reach.

"Mostly," he continued, and picked the ripe, seemingly juicy fruit off its branch, "because now I can spend long, lazy, hot, _wonderful_ days with you," he said sincerely and lovingly as he offered her the apple. Positively melting at his words, she gingerly accepted the fruit, almost too large for her to hold in one hand. She looked at him attentively.

"And I have a strong wish for us to enjoy _every_ day together as well," Caspian admitted, and took hold of her hand and stopped. She turned towards him and tried to meet his eyes, but his gaze was turned down to her hand in his. It was so tiny in his own hand. He mused for a while with a smile crossing his lips, before he continued, now meeting her gaze.

"I would like to go for long rides with you in the autumn and watch the leaves turn from green to gold as it turns colder every day. I want to spend cold winter mornings in bed with you in my arms, and spend days out on a flowery field once again come spring… When summer comes, I want us to be happy, blissful and grateful for this life. And then wish for it all over again." Susan looked at him, her eyes now glossy as she listened to his words. Her heart beating fast, she didn't dare move as he was standing so close to her, her free hand captured in-between his.

"And I wish for it all, not as mere King and Queen, but me as _your_ King and you as _my_ Queen. You've always been the Queen of my heart, and now more than ever, I need you as the Queen of my life," he continued passionately.

"Caspian…" Susan whispered, unbelieving of what was just happening. He smiled reassuringly at her.

"You make me stronger, you urge me on to make wise decisions, and you make me a better man and ruler. Not only that, but you've brought so much joy and happiness in my life, and for that I cannot thank you enough. The only thing I can do," Caspian said, before halting momentarily in his speech to crouch down on one knee, "is to ask you this."

Susan's hand that was holding her fruit flew to her mouth, and she stifled back a gasp with the back of her hand as tears threatening to spill. She could not believe it, _she could not believe it_ , that this wonderful man was proposing to her. Usually she thought with her head rather than her heart to come up with radical solutions, but right now, her emotions were working overload, and she didn't know what to do with them, and she felt like her heart was going to explode. Her eyes were so clouded with joyful tears that she was not able to see that he was currently retrieving a small black velvet box from his pocket.

"Susan Pevensie, Queen of my heart and so much more… Will you do the tremendous honour of becoming my wife?" he asked softly, yet passionately, his brown gaze locked with hers.

A broken sob escaped her lips, and she responded in what she thought to be logical at the time, by literary throwing herself at him. Her front crashed against his whilst her arms coiled around his neck and pulled him close. He held her body tightly against his, but the force of their impact brought them down to the grass for the second time that afternoon. The apple lay forgotten in the grass somewhere beside them since her hands were settled at his shoulders as she lay on top of him. She peppered him with sweet kisses with tears streaming down her cheeks before she managed to speak.

" _Yes, yes, yes_ , a thousand times yes!" she answered, still choked up. Almost tearing up at her response himself, Caspian weaved his fingers into her hair and kissed her so passionately that she was rendered breathless.

The couple sat up and their lips met again, this time slow and deep.

"You have no idea how happy you've made me…" he whispered as he leant his forehead against hers. Another sob escaped as she chuckled delightfully, another tear running down her cheek. Caspian pulled back by the slightest and cupped her cheeks and wiped away the tears from her cheekbones with his thumbs as a blissful smile crossed his lips. He bent forward and kissed her jaw, cheekbone, nose and forehead as she calmed down after her slight outbreak.

Susan and Caspian looked down as he opened the small box in his hand, revealing a silver ring that had tiny diamonds running along half the band with a slightly bigger one in the middle. It shimmered mesmerizingly in the afternoon sun that broke through the leaves above them. It was simple, yet it was so beautiful that it almost made her cry all over again. Taking it out, he slid it on her slender ring finger on her left hand.

"Oh, Caspian…" she gasped as she watched him slide the beautiful band on.

"It was my mother's…" he explained in a gentle tone, and she admired it for a while as he put away the box and grabbed her hand in both of his.

"It's beautiful, truly…" she said, still taken aback at what just happened. Caspian could not smile any wider as he leant his head against hers. They revelled in the peace and in the joy that they were now engaged, committed to one another, and finally to be together by law.

"I love you…" she whispered beautifully, and he proceeded to cup her jaw and stroke her cheek with his thumb whilst the other held her hand.

"I love you, with all my heart…" he vowed in a husky and deep voice.

Her free hand held his neck, and she pulled him into another kiss.

The betrothed High King and High Queen sat together under that apple tree for a long time as they cherished this time they had together, with kisses, laughs and amorous hugs.

. . .

Walking leisurely, yet thoughtfully down a long hall from the kitchens that evening, Susan noticed Lucy in the corner of her eye, her younger sister's bouncy steps far too recognisable. She beamed towards her.

"Sue, where have you been all day?" Lucy asked with a bright smile as she bounced her way over to her sister. Susan smiled at the fond, fresh memory.

"Oh, here and there…" she said with a certain sparkle in her eyes. Lucy read her like a book, and raised a fine brow at her.

"You've been with Caspian, haven't you? Well, nothing new then," she said with a giggle. Susan nudged her lightly in the shoulder. They both chuckled before they stood a moment in silence. Sighing, Lucy opened her mouth to speak, as she noticed a different glow about her sister.

"You really are great together, though. You look so happy with him."

"I feel happy too, Lu. Happier than I've felt in a long time…"

"You've needed that. And I'm glad our dear Caspian could be the one to bring you that happiness. The man is honestly God-sent," Lucy said. Susan turned her look down with a smile on her lips.

"Or, maybe you were the one being sent to him? We were the ones to return after all!" she continued excitedly. Susan rolled her eyes in a lovingly manner.

"Does it really matter, Lu? I'm just happy to have the man in my life, after all that's happened," Susan explained with a shrug. Lucy looked down in silence as she reflected on the truth of it.

"Well… he's not _technically entirely_ in your life just yet, is he?" Lucy said with a playful smile. Looking at her in an almost scrutinising way, she decided to tell her little sister of the news.

"Not just yet, but soon," she said knowingly. A puzzled expression crossed Lucy's eyes, before a flash of understanding made her coral eyes widen.

"You mean…?"

Susan's reply was to hold up her left hand with the back of her hand facing Lucy, the ring visible to her eyes. The corner of her lips turned upwards as she showed her the ring.

By looking at her expression, Lucy looked just about ready to explode with excitement. She jumped with a loud, girlish squeal as she took Susan's hand to closer examine the ring. Susan hushed her lightly, but grinned nevertheless as Lucy hugged her tightly.

"Oh, my goodness! He proposed?! Susan, you're getting _married_!" Lucy squealed giddily.

Susan hushed her again as she looked around the hall, hopeful that no one would hear the overly ecstatic Queen.

"Yes, and however joyous the news is, Caspian and I decided to keep it between ourselves until we officially declare the engagement to the council," Susan said with a gentle smile and tone.

"And when will you tell the boys?" Lucy asked, referring to her older brothers Peter, Edmund and their cousin.

"Tonight, once we're all assembled in the common room," Susan said, now suddenly looking uneasy. Lucy, noticing her sister turning a fascinating shade of grey, squeezed her arm reassuringly.

"Hey, it's going to be alright. I'm sure they'll be thrilled! Besides, Caspian would never ask for your hand before consulting with Peter," she said with a bright beam.

"You're right, it's just… It's a big step, and even though I'm prepared for it, I don't know how well the people will take it,"

"To hell with what the people think!" Susan looked incredulously at the young Queen's words.

"I'm sorry, but it's true. This is an engagement between you and Caspian, the High King of Narnia! A marriage between a High Queen from the Golden Age to a Narnian-Telmarine High King will prove to be wonderful for Narnian ties, and to prove Caspian's loyalty to Narnia and her citizens, for those who still doubt him as this country's King. And it will strengthen all of us! Especially both of your positions," Lucy explained, and even though Susan knew she was right, she knew not everyone would be thrilled with their King's decision.

"Yes, there might be some doubtful Lords and Dukes (and some very disappointed court ladies), but they'll survive!" Lucy continued, her smile returning.

"Yes, I know. We will handle it as it comes along. I'm utterly grateful that I'll marry for love, and not to some strange King from another land for political alliances. Had the sake of Narnia required it of me, I would, but as it turns out, I don't have to," Susan explained, sighing happily at the fact that she was to marry the man of her dreams.

"Yes, the romantic life of a Queen…" Lucy said, rolling her eyes in playful exasperation.

They laughed together, relishing in the joyous news, before Lucy spoke yet again:

"Oh, Susan, I'm so happy for you!" she embraced her sister tightly, relieved that Caspian finally found the courage to ask for her hand, and thrilled that her sister had said yes.

If anyone deserved such a blessed happiness, it was Susan. Turning down suitor after suitor, before being sent back to England, they had all lived there, quite miserably, for a year. As she was once again pulled back to Narnia, she dwelled deep into herself as her heart and head fought a desperate battle – Caspian had been the one to bring peace in that battle, and help her find herself again. That was, until she was torn away from him, thinking that she would never see him again, as Aslan had said she and Peter were to be sent back to their world to outlive the remainder of their life. Imaginable, Susan felt more torn than ever when they were being thrown back to Narnia, for the last time, oblivious to them. And when they were told they were to reign beside Caspian at the beaches of Aslan's Country, Susan slowly healed and became herself again, as the all Pevensie children did.

The once so bumpy ride now looked as smooth as the surface of a still lake, and with Susan's news, Lucy felt her heart swell with love and pride for her sister.

She knew her older brothers would feel the same.

. . .

"I'm still surprised at how well that went," Susan mused, breaking the peaceful silence that had made its presence between her and Caspian. She felt Caspian's naked chest under her rumble in amusement. One of his arms was crossed behind his head, supporting it against the pillows as the other ghosted up and down Susan's naked back. He chuckled deeply.

"You need to be more specific, my love," he teased knowingly, and she raised her head to scold him, but couldn't find it in her. Instead she swatted his shoulder lightly.

"Caspian!" she warned, but chuckled along as male pride got the better of him, making him laugh.

"All in good fun, my Queen," he said under his chuckle. She rolled her eyes again with a sigh.

 _Men._

"I meant telling my brothers," she specified. He hummed and raised a hand to push a dark lock of hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"Yes, and to think Peter didn't interrogate me this time. I'm almost disappointed, I was starting to look forward to that conversation," he said, a wicked smile upon his handsome face.

"Well, you got out lucky, it seems," she agreed with a slight shrug.

" _Very_ lucky," he murmured huskily against her lips as he bent to kiss her. Pushing her back against the mattress, he hovered above her as she coiled her arms around his neck and buried her hands into his dark tresses, massaging his scalp as he kissed her deeply. Her hands then travelled down his back, her nails raking against his hot skin. She always felt so wonderful when she found herself trapped between this man's glorious body and the deep mattress. She felt safe, warm and most of all, loved in his arms, and he had proven his love to her twice that day.

Once, by proposing to her, and twice, in his bedroom.

And now, not really finding the strength, but always complying and responsive to his touches, Susan kissed him just as deeply as she held on to him.

Caspian wrapped one of his muscular arms under her shoulder, then around it to bring her closer to him. Her marble skin against his always felt so right, and he craved to touch, kiss and feel her, as much as he craved her own touches. Her body, small but curvy, lay as close to him as she could be at that moment, and he would always be appreciative of how she felt in his arms. Kissing, nipping and licking down her throat, neck and collarbone, Caspian devoured her, which earned him ever-so excited moans from Susan. Her moans spurred him on, and she delicately ran her leg up his thigh as she pushed up against him. This time, his teeth graced her neck, and it proved to be the cherry on top for Susan. Grabbing his arm, she pushed him onto his back and straddled him underneath the cream-coloured sheets. She gazed down at him with lidded eyes, a sensual smile upon her full lips.

"Very lucky _indeed_ ," he stated huskily with a carnal smile. His voice revealed his desire and lust, as his hands instinctively grabbed the angle between her thighs and hips. Bending down, she placed her hands above his shoulders and lowered her head to capture his lips with hers. Teasing him further, she grinded against him, and he hissed at the feeling of her heat against his now throbbing member.

"I don't think it's mere lucky, my King," she murmured amorously against his lips, before lovingly taking his lower lip between her teeth.

His response was to grip more tightly at her hips, his lips working ardently against hers as they kissed deeply. The Gentle Queen grinded, not so gently, against him one last time, before taking him into her slickness yet again, allowing him to enter her for the second time that evening. Both parties moaned, and Susan made sure to build a steady rhythm whilst showering him with kisses, enjoying the feeling of his hands on her curves, before straightening up by resting her hands on his firm pectorals, nails digging into the skin. Caspian's jaw clenched and unclenched in rhythm with her movements as she rode him well. Starting to move with her the best he could manage in this position, he moved up and buried himself into her even deeper. The feeling was sensational, and at how his Queen was arching her back and clamping around his waist with her strong thighs, he knew she was enjoying this position as well. Her head thrown slightly back, she let out a soft moan and bit her lower lip at the sensation of him filling her so well. She felt so powerful in this position, so in control, and really, it was common knowledge that most to all men enjoyed women on top. She thought it first to be such a masculine role, but it wasn't until she found a man, a King of her own that she realized it had grown to be an alluring idea, and now, she enjoyed it immensely.

Additionally, the view from her point of view, was quite arousing: The candlelight flickered in golden hues across his tanned skin, creating fascinating shadows that highlighted his muscles and body. His lips were slightly parted as he breathed hard in overwhelming pleasure, and the clenching of his jaw was beyond masculine, driving her mad. 'Godly' didn't even begin to describe him in that moment.

The King, almost seeing stars, managed to sober up, and he enjoyed the exquisite view before him. Instinctively, he lifted his hands to brush her raven hair away from her front and cup her breasts as she rotated her hips back and forth, taking his length all in. She felt divine, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end at the sound of her pleasurable groan at the feeling of his touch.

Caspian's body felt like it was on fire, and he knew he would not be able to hold on much longer, and at the feeling of how his lover tightened around his pulsating member, he knew for a fact that she was close to lose herself into the euphoric high as well.

The man sat up at that moment and grabbed her hips to bring her further against him as she still rode him. She snaked her arms over his shoulders and buried one of her hands into his hair and fisted the silky, thick texture as she felt that familiar pleasurable coil pool in her lower abdomen. Nudging his nose against her jaw, her head tilted back, and the delicious skin of her neck was exposed. He attached to her neck with his lips, making her sigh raggedly into his ear. The moment he found the sensitive spot on her neck, her hot and ragged breath evolved into a long, final, soft moan as she let go.

The moment she came, her slick walls clamped around him, making it impossible for him not to erupt too. And so, he let go with her, holding her ever so close as he shuddered violently during his release.

"Oh, Caspian…" she moaned as she nuzzled her face deeper into his hair. He dared release her hips, and moved them instead upwards the arch of her back to hold her against him, his hands travelling down the skin of her spine.

"I love you…" he murmured under her refined jaw before kissing it.

Pulling back just enough to look into her eyes, he caressed her back as she shook lightly against him. Her eyes shimmered almost grey in excitement, contrasting his own dark, fiery ones.

The love she felt for this man could not be put into words, she was so full of this love, she did not know how to contain it. She did not even know what to _do_ with it. All she knew was that she did what this very man had told her months ago: _'just feel'._ He was like a drug, a dangerously addictive one, just like she was to him, and so she just _felt._ She had done it for quite a while now, and now she understood what _feeling_ did to her. It made her feel like a whole new woman, renewed in soul and body, and she felt like she could overcome all the troubles in the world, if every day ended like this: being engulfed in his arms, wrapped in warmth, salvaged in safety.

. . .

The couple were under the sheets once again, blissfully snug against each other and protected from the ocean wind that whipped against the window glass. Caspian always preferred to sleep with at least one open window, and considered closing the one currently open in his chamber, in fear of Susan growing chilly. She showed no signs of cold however, as she was resting her head on his shoulder with her face buried against the nape of his neck. She was quiet, as she often was, sated and happily basking in his warmth.

He trailed a lazy index finger down her arm, and her exposed skin felt chill to the touch. Hearing the wind howl outside result in the window slamming against their frame. He was just about to get up and close it, before Susan's voice stopped him.

"Leave it," she murmured, practically reading his thoughts.

Instead, he pulled the sheets further up her body to settle his own worry, whilst he was only covered up to his ribs himself, as he felt like a constant boiler. (He also suspected that was the reason Susan favoured cuddling him, rather than burying herself in the bedsheets the seldom times they had shared a bed. Not that he complained, au contraire) He wrapped one large, strong arm around her to pull her even closer to him, whilst the other supported the back of his head. She stirred slightly at the movement, and leant her head up further to look at him. He looked tired (blissfully so), and she couldn't help but examine him in his vulnerable state. His handsome features were highlighted by his Telmarine traits, and his dark hair and tanned skin looked golden in the soft golden light. His jaw and chin were strong, and the dark, short beard definitely suited him. Strands of rebellious hair fell into his face, and she raised a hand to carefully brush the locks away from his face, before cupping his jaw. The surprisingly soft scruff tickled the inside of her palm, and her action made him open his eyes and turn to look at her with gentle eyes that were now the colour of milk chocolate because of the golden hue inside the room.

"What are you thinking of?" he murmured curiously, yet not persistently. He figured it would make for valid pillowtalk. She smiled soundlessly whilst her gaze was glued to her hand.

"Nothing, really… Just that…" she said softly in that gentle voice of hers. Her hand stilled as she met his gaze.

"I think we will be very happy, you and I," she admitted, and he offered her that lopsided smile that made her knees weaken every single time, clearly enjoying the thought. He took her small hand in his and planted a kiss on her knuckles before holding it against his chest. She felt his heart thud in a steady rhythm under her palm.

"I don't think so," he said softly, making her lift a curious brow.

" _I know so_ ," he said sincerely. She felt her heart smack against her chest at his words. And with that famous smile of his, he kissed her deeply for the last time that night, as to seal that pledge, before they nodded off with his cheek against the top of her head, whilst her face was nuzzled into the nook in his neck. Ultimately, they fell into a deep sleep, as the sea breeze howled on outside their window.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, I admit, Susan's last line was inspired from Game of Thrones (RIP Margaery Tyrell) but I found it too fitting not to take inspiration from it.**

 **I'm actually pretty pleased with myself for managing to write this chapter in a matter of four hours divided over two days! That is usually never an accomplishment of mine.**

 **Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and happy about how I laid out the proposal. Contrary to what you might believe, I'm not a romantic (especially not at the age of 19) and so that scene turned to be quite difficult to write, both in the manner of grammar and the way I thought to be proper articulation. Alas, there's always room for improvement later!**

 **When I was plotting the chapter (I plot along as I write, it's a gift, hawhaw), I didn't plan on writing a lemon, but I thought: "to hell with it" and added another one, because I can, and because I like development. And I hope you do too! I realise there might not be that many that read Suspian smut, as it is a wee outdated, maybe even a bit taboo. But this is fanfiction, and I shall empty my mind if my readers enjoy it! (Who am I fooling, I am adding to this story as I like, because once I have an idea, IT MUST BE WRITTEN DOWN).**

 **In summary, I hope you liked this chapter as much as I liked to write it! Please, please, PLEASE leave a review if you can, for _feedback means everything to me_ , be it short, sweet, long or advise on improvements. Ideas are also welcome, though I cannot promise that I will pick up on them as I do have my own ideas. But feel free to leave suggestions nevertheless!**

 **Now, enough from me (I think this is my longest summary as of yet, boy) and I shall see you later, you lovelies.**

 **I thank you all for lovely reviews and support, and I will see if I can publish more soon, as January exams are coming to get me. I will probably have more time to write after January, as Norwegian winters are so snowy and cold that I probably won't spend much time outside in fear of freezing solid.**

 **Until then,**

 **Take care!**

 **Dragon**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Okay, it's very late, but I want to write. So, I'll update this story with a wee chapter! Sorry for any grammatical mistakes here, as I said, it's awfully late.**

 **Not an entirely exciting update, but a cosy one is always nice!**

 **Hope you like it!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Rays from the Narnian morning sun peeped into the windows on the west side of the castle, signalling the start of a new day. The golden light entered a set of windows belonging to High King Caspian's chambers, highlighting his room, creating long shadows as they shone.

But the King was not awake. His Queen-to-be, however, roused from her deep sleep when the bright golden rays shone upon her eyelids. Her head was turned towards the windows, making her an easy prey for the bright wakeup-call. Her cerulean eyes fluttered open to this unwelcome, yet gentle light. Heavy eyelashes made them close soon after however, as she found herself extremely tired. For what reason? Well, Caspian would have to answer to that.

Now awake enough to tell that it was morning and that she was in fact _not_ in her own chambers, Susan felt hot. And it was not the sheets that radiated with smouldering heat: no, it was namely a certain young King that was still very much asleep.

His larger, muscular body was covering her lithe one from where his head was resting on her chest, side down, and his arms were coiled around her small waist as he held her close to him in his sleep.

Susan looked down and couldn't help but smile at the sight – he looked like a child clutching his favourite toy close to him as he slept to protect himself against nightmares.

And it seemed her King was sleeping peacefully – he had not been haunted with demons that night.

As much as she adored this little moment of his, she felt herself being engulfed in warmth, and she soon grew slightly uncomfortable as she boiled. She dared not move, as she did not have the heart to wake him whilst he slept so soundly, but instead moved one of her arms to rest it between his refined shoulder blades, and she ghosted two fingernails against his tan skin in lazy patterns. She enjoyed the feeling of his skin under her fingers, and she could confirm that he was boiling hot to the touch: maybe it was because of his Telmarine blood?

She shifted her head so that her lips found the crown of his forehead, her head now resting peacefully against his. She felt his body rise evenly against hers, and she noticed how his muscles rippled at each breath he took.

That's when she realized, that this was the first time she could watch him sleep – he was otherwise the one to wake up together with her the few times they had shared a bed.

She sighed deeply and decided to try going back to sleep whilst she cradled him against her. It _was_ incredibly early after all.

But she didn't come further than snoozing before feeling the man shift against her. Her eyes opened whilst a sleepy smile crossed her face. She watched as Caspian half-consciously stretched against her, before raising his head to rest it on her shoulder, his eyes still closed. He planted a sleepy kiss on her collarbone. He exhaled deeply through his nose as he slowly awakened. He was definitely not a morning person, he never had been, but these rare mornings with his ladylove made them so much better and endurable.

Susan chuckled, and whilst still drugged on sleep, rested her jaw against his head with closed eyes. A barely audible, yet warm murmur escaped her lips:

"Morning…"

A weak groan was all that he could manage in response as he stretched against her. She chuckled at him as her fingers ghosted down his arm.

"Too early…" he murmured in a sleep-ridden voice as he hid his face in her hair, apparently not planning to get up soon. Susan could accept that, but what she could not accept, was dying from a heatstroke. So, she gently pushed his heavy body off hers, which he didn't even seem to notice. He merely fell right beside her, his hot skin against her side whilst his face was still buried against her neck with his arm draped over her waist.

"Are we really going to go through this every morning?" she chuckled against his hair, but only managed to " _mhm"_ against her neck, not taking up the challenge to argue. She smiled at the thought of actually having to go through his lack of energy in the morning every morning from the day they were married – which would be soon. How soon, they did not know yet, but they would plan it as a start.

Not really wanting to think about wedding arrangements right now, she turned over to lie on her stomach and snooze on. However, she soon felt her fiancé trail his fingers along the arch of her spine with lazy movements. She hummed in pleasure, and she was soon lulled to a light sleep at his caresses. His hand stilled at her back, as he too soon snoozed off to the late morning.

. . .

The weather had turned that late afternoon, and rain was now pouring down over Cair Paravel and the forests surrounding it. A harsh wind came from the ocean, and waves slammed against the rocks underneath the grand castle. Despite the bad weather, people were glad of it – Narnia needed a rainy day from time to another in the summers to water the crops and the lands.

Caspian and Edmund were currently practising their swordsmanskills in the throne room, as it was more spacious now that they needed to be inside. Caspian had Edmund in a lock, grinning as he had won for the second time that afternoon.

"Not fair!" Edmund complained as he pushed Caspian's sword away from his neck, frustrated that he had slipped against the tiles on that last step forward. Caspian met his gaze and shot him a look of pure amusement. Playfulness glimmered in his eyes, making his opponent frown in displeasure.

"The floor is too slippery!" he justified himself, making Caspian shake his head at his friend.

"As if that has ever been a problem to you! Admit it, you're falling behind," Caspian challenged him with a grin as he posed for another match. Edmund twirled the sword in his hand, before readying himself as well, ready to strike again to prove him wrong.

The two Kings clashed swords, neither of them losing strength as they fenced and blocked. Grins were plastered on their faces as they duelled across the floor. Edmund sliced vertically at Caspian, who jumped back from the blade, before he struck his sword downwards. Caspian met his sword at a high block, and as he were physically strong that Edmund, he would soon gain the upper hand.

Luckily, Edmund was a creative swordsman. He noticed the gap between Caspian and his sword, and raised his leg to kick Caspian's side. The Just King watched as the Seafarer was kicked off his feet with an audible 'off!' before he was sprawled onto the floor with his back sliding against the tiles. Edmund grinned in victory and chuckled as he walked over to Caspian, who lifted his head to look at him in surprise.

"See what I mean?" Edmund said, as he pointed to the floor with his sword, making both Kings laugh. He grabbed Caspian's hand and helped him up to the floor. The taller man groaned as he stood, yet a grin was spreading on his face.

"Very good, Ed," he praised before giving Edmund a pat on his shoulder.

Caspian rubbed his side where the younger King had kicked him, making Edmund chuckle.

"Sorry," he said apologetically, but his apology was brushed off.

"Don't be, I'm impressed!" Caspian said as he straightened up properly now that he had regained breath.

A flash of thunder got the two royals' attention, and they looked out one of the many windows to see the rain splattering even harder against it. Edmund frowned at it.

"I hope Lucy and Su get back soon, it's getting really bad out there," Edmund said as a flash of sudden concern crossed his mind. The two girls had gone for a ride to the village earlier that day, when the sun still stood high, and not a sign of rain was in sight. They had yet to return, as the weather now became thunderous.

"They're sensible girls, I'm sure they've either taken cover, or they are at the stables," Caspian stated. Edmund could only hope he was right.

The two had just finished their fifth duel before the sound of wooden doors opened caught their attention. The Kings watched as two girls came to sight, namely Susan and Lucy.

As they approached their fellow royals, Edmund and Caspian grinned at their appearances.

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in!" Edmund teased, receiving an unamused glare from his older sister. "Oh, shut up, Ed," she told him, making him only chuckle.

The two sisters were absolutely soaked to the bone from the rain, and droplets of cold rain dripped from their hair. Their riding wear was drenched and hugging their bodies, leaving the two girls shivering at the feeling of cold clothes. They might as well had taken a bath with their clothes on, one couldn't really tell the difference.

"Rain caught you, I see?" Caspian said amused. Susan flicked her wet hair over her shoulder, sending droplets flying into Lucy's face. She sputtered at the incoming water.

"Yes, luckily the horses brought us home safe. Come on Lu, we're dripping off on the floor. We need to get changed before we develop colds or worse." Susan told her sister, who gladly followed her to get into dry clothes.

Edmund and Caspian looked after them, then proceeded to finish off their last match, before they met up with the others in the common room.

. . .

Caspian and Edmund entered to watch Peter and Eustace in a match of chess. Peter sat thinking thoroughly before taking any moves, whilst Eustace moved his pieces with intellectual strategy, and still managed to get closer to winning than Peter was. His king was currently compromised, and he was sat thinking with furrowed brows.

"You'll get a headache if you think much harder, Pete," his younger brother challenged, but Peter did not pay him any thought, but instead moved his bishop after much thinking. Eustace instantly moved his rook, taking his opponent's king.

"Checkmate."

Peter sighed in frustration and fell back in his chair, clearly exasperated.

"I think you need to give up on chess, brother," Edmund chuckled before making his way to sit at the sofa in front of the fire. Caspian sat at the other end and loosened the tightening on his beige undershirt, freeing the top of his chest.

"I hope it stops raining by tomorrow. I have men to train," Peter said as he and Eustace made their way to sit at the sofa and chairs as well.

"I just hope it stops raining at all," Edmund chimed in as he propped his feet at the table.

"I agree," a female voice caught the boys' attention, and they all turned to see Lucy enter the room with Susan at her tail. The two were now in dry, cream white underdresses, but their hair were still damp from their little wet adventure. Lucy had it up in a messy, damp bun, whilst her older sister had it free down her back. Lucy rubbed her palms together and blew warm air into them, before sitting down on the floor against the hearth. She leant back against sofa with a pleased sigh. Susan sat down on the free chair and tucked her legs under her as she too sighed as she practically melted against the arm on the red, velvety chair in satisfaction. The two girls revelled in the warmth of the fire.

"Everyone had a good, productive day?" Peter asked as he stretched his arms.

"I had morning lessons with the Professor, then spent some time in the library, before shamelessly conquering you in chess," Eustace said with a smart smile, making both Edmund and Caspian laugh. Peter however, was not amused.

"Well, let me see – paperwork, coordinating with the general, checking out the new horses. Ended up duelling the rest of the day, right Caspian? You still sore?" Edmund grinned towards his friend, who merely rolled his eyes at him.

"You'll never let that go, will you?" he asked as he rubbed his neck with one hand.

"Never."

"What about you, Lu?" Eustace asked his cousin, who's lids were now drooping as the warmth engulfed her and warmed her anew.

"Hmm? Oh, me and Su handled some business in the village, visited the market, helped taking care of the horses for sale, oh, and we visited the orphanage as well. We brought them a basket of pastry, too. The poor children don't like the thunder much, so we stayed to tell them a story to soothe them. Of course, we couldn't do much to escape the weather ourselves when it worsened but to ride home like the wind. Poor Dash spooked at the thunder, he almost threw me off!" Lucy explained with a tired voice as her head was leant against the sofa. Caspian gave the top of her head a stroke from where he was sitting beside her.

"Well, we're glad to have you back in one piece," he told her warmly. She smiled and closed her eyes again at his comforting caress.

The boys then chatted on about everything and nothing far into the evening, even opened a flask of wine, and didn't even notice Lucy and Susan's absence in their chat. It wasn't until Eustace bid them all a goodnight that they realized how late it was.

"Maybe we should retire too?" Peter said subconsciously under a yawn. He stood up to stretch again before heading for his chambers. He did have a long day ahead of him tomorrow after all. Edmund were to agree, before the sight of his sisters caught his attention.

"The girls are way ahead of you, Pete," Edmund chuckled as he nodded towards the scene.

Susan were resting her head on her arms that lay folded on the arm of the chair, her legs tucked under her dress. She was sleeping soundlessly, with Lucy in the same fashion as she too was sleeping from where she was sat on the carpet. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her head was slightly lolled to the side against her shoulder as she snoozed. The boys smiled warmly at the sight, and Edmund suddenly wished they had cameras in Narnia.

"Oh, that's sweet. Will you two get them to their rooms, I'm going to head for mine too whilst I'm still awake," Peter said with a yawn.

"Good idea," Caspian said as stifled a yawn.

"G'night, men." Peter said as he made his way to his chambers, humming as he went. The wine had obviously done it's work in getting him in a chipper mood. Edmund and Caspian stood too.

"Alright, come on, you," Edmund said as he grabbed his babysister's hand, rousing her. She blinked sleepily.

"Is't morning, a'ready?" she murmured confusedly. Edmund merely chuckled at her, before helping her up and getting her to her feet. He knew Caspian would take care of Susan, and wished him therefore a goodnight (but he certainly wouldn't mention that detail to Peter in the morning,) before taking Lucy to her bed.

Caspian shook his head with a smile at the siblings, before turning to tend to Susan. He walked behind the chair she was sleeping on and leant down to snake his arms under her.

"Come here, you…"

He lifted her effortlessly up and into his arms as he carried her bridal style. She subconsciously placed her arms around his neck. and rested her head against the crook of it, still drugged on sleep.

"You smell nice…" she murmured, making him chuckle as he walked them to her chamber.

He managed to get into her chambers soon enough, and he placed her gingerly on her queen-sized bed. He brushed a strand of hair off her face and kissed her hand, before he was about to leave her. But as he was to leave, Susan's hand held him back. He halted and looked down to her.

"No… Stay…" she whispered. Smiling warmly, the High King walked to the opposite side of her bed, took off his shirt, kicked off his boots, and climbed under the duvet with her.

"Always," he murmured back before brushing his lips against her forehead as his arms held her close to him. In her sleepy state, Susan huddled closer to him and tucked her head under his jaw as her arms crept around him too.

Susan fell asleep against him almost immediately, and Caspian fell into a deep sleep himself as the sound of rain splattering against the windows, and the feel of her small form against his chest lulled him to wonderful dreams of peace.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed, and I'll update whenever I can!**

 **Have a good one, lovelies!**

 **Dragon**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hullo! Here comes another update!**

 **This will be some Caspian/Iris-bonding, and cute children will make an appearance! And also, Suspian!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

High King Caspian, the stable master, and a farrier from the village stood talking in the castle stable's hallway. Forty thoroughbreds had just been brought into the stables, all imported from Archenland. The royal guard needed new horses as they were still compensating the loss of some horses from the war with the Giants in the North a few years ago, and so Caspian and Peter had cooperated on importing horses to be used in the guard. The last one had now been lead into a stall by a stable boy, and now the three men stood talking whilst eyeing the new chestnut stallion in his stall.

"The payment was shipped ages ago, so it was about time they arrived. Have you checked the ones who needs to be shod?" Caspian asked the stable master. He was a tall man with curly hair and a greying scruff, but his grey eyes sparkled with experience and love for horses. His skin was kissed by the sun after long hours out in the fields.

"Yes, my lord. Twelve needs to be reshod, including the stallion, as the journey has taken a toll on their shoes," he said as he pulled a halter of rope up to his shoulder.

"Good. Will you be able to do it throughout the coming week, Vald? Compensation is yet to be arranged, but we can settle that before you start shoeing," the King told the aging farrier, a balding man with strong arms and a leather apron. He scratched his chin in thought.

"Aye, if I start in the morning, I should be done by Tuesday afternoon, yer majesty," the man answered as he placed his hand on the hammer tied to the belt on his apron. Caspian nodded in agreement. The next patrol was to take place in four days, so it suited him well.

"Very well. Settle your price with Bern here, and then you are free to leave. If you may, Bern, mark the stalls of the horses that needs shoeing, so Vald can dispose his time freely in the morning." Caspian said, receiving _yes, my lord_ s from both men before turning to leave.

"I bid you a good night, gentlemen," Caspian dismissed the men and walked the other direction, intending to make his way back to the castle. He had been doing business, having meetings and making decisions all day, and he were now looking forward to some time alone to unwind.

That was, before a certain uneasy horse who was currently banging its hoof against the gate to its stall caught his attention. He walked over and leant over the gate.

Iris, Susan's horse, was bobbing her head up and down before pacing in her stall, clearly upset. She pawed at the floor impatiently.

"Iris…" Caspian cooed at the Frisian mare, "what's the matter, girl? The gate giving you a hard time?" he talked to her soothingly, making her only more impatient as she threw her head around, snorting as she did. He eyed the black mare thoughtfully, knowing very well why she was acting in this manner.

Both Susan and Lucy had gotten a cold after the day out in the rain some days ago, and the two were now ill in bed, coughing their lungs out and trying their best to keep warm and get better.

And now, it seemed Iris suffered from having been in her stall for too long.

Once the mare made her way down to Caspian, he stretched his hand out and stroked the bridge of her nose in the way he had seen Susan do it. It seemed to calm the horse, for she had stopped pacing as she enjoyed his attention. Caspian looked outside the main gates: the evening sun hung low, but it would still be light for a couple of hours…

"Don't worry, girl, I'll take you out for a while." Caspian said as he left to grab her gear. The mare pressed herself against the gate to look after him. She whinnied loudly, making him grin to himself. Now that he was done with today's errands, he could spend some time off on horseback to wind off. And he was certain that Iris needed a good gallop - Susan would not mind it.

And so, the King found himself saddling the overly impatient mare before leading her out. Iris almost ran out on him before he could even mount, leaving him forcefully holding back the cheeky mare. Despite being a large, heavy draft, she sure had speed. His own Destrier was of the same breed, but in no way as eager as this one.

He rode her through a forest path, and the mare eagerly pushed forward with quick, mincing steps for a while before she started to calm down. Caspian patted her withers in praise before riding on deeper into the woods.

The young man breathed in deeply as he took in the smells of summer: the smell of fresh grass and cherry trees filled his nose, and he could hear the song of the crickets hiding in the tall grass. Orange hues shone through the trunks, and the sky had turned a purple-orange shade above him. He found it all very peaceful as he felt the animal move under him. The saddle creaked soothingly.

"This is nice, isn't it?" Caspian asked rhetorically as he loosened his grip on the reins to let the mare stretch her neck. She snorted loudly.

A meadow of wild lavender was coming up in front of them before he had to cross the creak.

"Come on, time to stretch our legs." He kicked her gently in the sides, and the mare sped up into a fresh trot. Once out on the meadow, he allowed her to canter with long steps. Shades of minty green and purple whisked away under her hooves, and it was all quite lovely. _Definitely not a bad way to unwind,_ he thought to himself.

Being High King often put major pressure on Caspian's shoulders. Most to all men could be King, but it was hard to be a _good_ King. What was even harder was still having to pick up Miraz's neglected duties, alliances and paperwork and making sure they were properly put to order. Caspian couldn't be happier to have the Pevensies beside him as they reigned, but some days, he wished to be… _Just_ Caspian. Living somewhere in a cabin. Making an earnest living from the soil or the like. Having a small family and only being responsible to put food on the table and making a decent husband and father instead of being responsible for a whole country… It all sometimes sounded very tempting to live a simpler life, but he knew in his heart that he was meant to be King, and leaving it all behind would not make him the man he was supposed to be. He made a promise on the shores of Aslan's Country to be a better King… And he would make sure to keep that promise, for the country, himself, and his father. His Queen was a good inspiration too, and he couldn't be happy that she was soon to be his wife.

He slowed the mare into a walk as she was to cross the creek. She drank greedily from it before Caspian rode her downwards along the stream of water. They soon reached the end of the creek that flowed into the ocean, and as Caspian turned the now laid back mare, they had the long stretch of the beach ahead of them. Slow, lazy waves licked against the shore, and the cries of seagulls in the distance rang in his ears. He looked out at the sea as he revelled in the feel of fresh sea breeze against his face.

"Let's see what you got, girl," Caspian told the mare as he shortened the reins whilst leaning forward in the saddle. He slapped the reins against her neck and felt her shoot forward into a gallop. All he could hear was the wind whistling in his ears and the sound of heavy hooves stomping against wet sand. It was exhilarating, and to him it was always a joy to ride alongside the ocean.

Cair Paravel could be seen in the distance not too far away, and so he let her gallop all the way as he stood in the saddle and held the reins against the mare's sweaty neck for leverage. She flew like an arrow across the stretch of sand, and her long, curly mane whipped Caspian in the face. She was a machine, never faltering, never slowing down.

Though as he noticed their exit up the woods before coming up to the village was closing in on them, he held her back. She soon slowed down into a trot, snorting as she did. He rode her up the slightly rocky path before slowing her down into a walk as they came up a road that led through two houses. He turned her to the right around a corner, and they were in the village. Caspian rode Iris homewards on long reins as he sat back in the saddle with a hand on his thigh.

Both Narnians and Telmarines of all ages could be found in the market district as they all scuttled about, either browsing, buying or selling things. A farmer led a cow through, and a group of young ladies was stood further away with baskets and bread in their arms as they chatted merrily. However, as Caspian approached on the black beast, the ladies grew silent. They made way for the horse as they all bowed to him whilst discreetly eyeing the handsome King. He gave them a nod as he rode on.

Some citizens were out on their porches as they enjoyed their evening, and they all waved or bowed at their King when he passed. He greeted them all with smiles and nods, feeling quite proud of himself that the people thought so warmly of him.

Lost in thought, he was pulled back to reality when a group of Narnian children ran down to him with giggles. A girl was holding a basket in her tiny arms, and Iris immediately perked her ears forward at the tiny human.

"Good evening, your majesty!" they cheered in unison as they looked up at him with big smiles. Caspian halted the horse as he smiled down at them.

"Indeed, it is!" he agreed as he leant over the pommel of the saddle. A younger girl with long curls and green innocent eyes looked shyly at him.

"Can we pet him?" she piped up with a smile. He gestured for the children to go right ahead, and they instantly flocked around the mare's front. Iris loved the attention and sniffed the children curiously with perked ears and playful eyes. They all giggled as she lipped at the girl who had asked to pet her. Caspian couldn't help but grin at the scene before him, and he warmed at the sight of the girl stroking the mare's cheeks with her tiny hands.

"He's so pretty!" she squealed as Iris blew warm air in the girl's face. The older girl played with Iris' yet-black curly mane with her free hand.

"Nuh-uh, she's got curly hair, she's obviously a girl!" the older girl argumented cutely.

"But he's so big and strong! Papa says all men are strong," the other explained. A young boy who was sucking on his thumb piped up a 'yeah' in agreement. Caspian laughed at the children's amusing quarrelling.

"Girls can be strong too!"

"Your Highness, is it a boy or girl?" the older girl with the basket asked him innocently.

"Girl. It's Queen Susan's horse," Caspian explained warmly to the children, and they all seemed even more excited.

"See, I told you!" the older girl told the younger one. Iris snorted suddenly, making the children squeal in joy. The cheeky mare then noticed the basket in the girl's arms, and pushed her muzzle into it, making the children laugh. Caspian pulled her away and called her name sternly.

"Oh, you want one? Here!" the girl said and pulled out a small red apple. She presented it to Iris, who had devoured it before Caspian could manage to protest. He wouldn't want her to give Iris her family's produce when they needed it themselves. Iris munched on the treat happily, and lipped at the girl's nose for more. The children giggled.

"We grow apples in our garden! I help Mama sell apples and vegetables at our market stall. My Papa's a silversmith!" the girl told him excitedly before giving Iris another apple. Caspian smiled at the girl. She wasn't of age, maybe nine or ten. She had long, dark braids, and a green dress. She was barefooted, as most children were in the summer. Along with sun-kissed skin, she had big, blue eyes that reminded him much of Susan's. A foreign feeling suddenly made his heart flutter longingly.

"And what do you want to be when you're older?" he asked the girl with a smile.

"A healer!" she said with a smile that reached her big blue eyes. Caspian smiled at her lovely, yet surprising answer: he'd think she would want to follow her parents' footsteps.

"Well, I'm sure you will be the best healer there ever was," he said with a wink. As if agreeing, Iris nuzzled her nose under the girl's chin. The youngster then threw her arms around the horse's muzzle and hugged her close to her tiny frame.

"Amelia!" a woman called from some distance away with a basket of eggs and a pumpkin under her other arm. Caspian made a guess that she was the girl's mother.

The girl released Iris and kissed the animal between her eyes. She then picked up her basket and waved to Caspian.

"Bye-bye, your Highness!" she called.

The other children stayed to give the horse a final pat before bidding their King goodbye. Iris looked after the tiny humans as they disappeared behind her. Caspian looked her in the eyes.

"You don't fool me, you love the attention," he said. She looked away guiltily. He shook his head at the silly horse.

"Come on, oats await you back home," he told her as she walked on in the evening sunlight.

. . .

By the time Caspian had untacked Iris and given her a quick grooming, she had dived into her trough nose first to lip up the oat mash noisily. Caspian chuckled as she slurped. She turned her head to look at him, her muzzle covered in mash and grains. She licked her lip once, before diving back in.

"Hog." Caspian laughed.

He noticed a long braid on her mane, and figured it must have been one of the girls who had done it. He fingered it, smiled, before giving Iris a last pat on her neck and exited her stall, leaving her slurping up her feed.

. . .

Susan rested back against the headboard with an exhale as she recovered from a coughing fit.

She was tired of this – being on a bedrest was boring, and especially tiresome when the slightest sound made her head pound, her eyes hurt with the slightest flicker, and she was cold no matter how many fur blankets she had on top of her duvet. She was coughing, and her lungs and nose were congested (though Trufflehunter's ginger mixture was very helpful).

Feeling generally fatigued, Susan sank back against the mattress and straightened her white nightgown. A knock on her door made her head pound in protest at the loud noise.

"Yes," she rasped. Her voice was almost gone, and the attempt to talk hurt. She silently cursed herself for not being able to convince Lucy to stay at the inn until the weather had cleared up those days ago.

She soon cheered up when she saw who had come to visit: Caspian, dressed in his cream undershirt and black trousers, carried a tray in his hands as he entered. He greeted her.

"I didn't think you were sleeping," he explained as he set down the tray on the night table.

"It's all I do. Thought I needed a break," she said in a hoarse voice. He chuckled at her sarcastic response, pleased that she still had her wit despite being ill.

"Here," he said and handed her a cup. She took it, but looked at it sceptically: she feared it to be more of that awfully bitter drink Cornelius had been giving her and Lucy.

"Don't worry, it's sweet," he reassured her with a warm smile. She brought it to her lips and was relieved to find that it was tea with honey.

"How are you?" Caspian asked as he sat down on a chair by her bed. He leant his elbows on his knees as he watched her lovingly.

She was pale – paler than usual. Her hair looked matted, and she had lost the usual glow and spark to her appearance. She looked miserable and truly ill. Her nightgown was opened at the top, so it was not difficult for him to see that she had lost some weight too at the way her collarbones were protruding.

"Well, could've been worse – I could have been dead," she told him, making his smile go askew. The thought alone was unbearable.

"It's our own fault I suppose," she rasped before sipping at her tea. He hummed at her response.

"Well, you better get well soon. It's awfully depressing around here without you and Lucy," he told her, making her smile.

"I hope so too, it's very depressing to be bedridden like this," she admitted, taking another sip.

"I can imagine," he said wistfully. She was not able to read because of headaches, and so she could either sleep or be awake doing nothing. To him, that seemed worse than being caged. He read to her the other day, but he didn't come far before she had fallen asleep.

"But your visits make the day all the better," she said lovingly.

"Especially because I bring you strawberries?" he gave her one of his lopsided smiles as he presented her with a bowl of red, juicy strawberries. He took one himself before sitting back in the chair.

"You truly are the sweetest," Susan sighed as she bit into one, relishing the sweet juices of the fruit.

"I try," he winked.

"How was your day?" she rasped as she held the cup between her hands, warming them.

"Well… Eventful. Finished the general paperwork, attended a meeting with your brothers and the counsel, before taking care of business at the stable," he told her as he crossed his legs.

"So the new horses are settled, then?" she asked. She of course, was aware of the import.

"Mm, yes. The farrier will start his work in the morning. And I think we can use the stallion for breeding, he is a prime thoroughbred. Strong and brave, I was told," he explained. He kept his voice low, knowing she had headaches.

"Good, I'm glad."

"And I also took out a _very_ impatient missy too," he told her, chuckling under his breath. She cocked a brow at him.

"Iris?"

"Indeed. She needed a good gallop, so I took her for a ride. She looked positively desperate in her stall. Not that it's your fault of course, but no one had taken her out today," he explained with a kind twinkle in his dark eyes. He noticed her shoulders sink as she exhaled, her head dropped back against the headboard. She was relieved, he could tell.

"Ah, thank you, I've been worried about her. She gets so fussy. I hope she didn't cause you any trouble?" she said gratefully, gazing at him with her grey-blue eyes.

"None at all. Slightly moody, but otherwise a perfectly good… mare," he said in lack of the right word. This made her laugh. He grinned at the sound of her laugh, no matter how hoarse and broken it seemed.

"She was spoiled with apples and hugs from the children in the village as well, so you needn't worry, she's perfectly happy now," he reassured her, and she smiled gratefully at him.

"Thank you…" He brushed off her thanks and instead took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. He knew her love for that horse, and he would gladly take care of her again to make his Queen happy, especially now that she was incapable of doing it herself.

"How can I ever repay you?" she asked humorously, if not slightly sarcastically, before taking another sip from her beverage. It did help on her sore throat.

He ran his fingers through his beard as he hummed.

"Hmmm, I might have a few ideas in mind once you get better," he said with a cheeky smile, earning him a glance of pure amusement from his Queen.

"Oh, I'm sure," she teased back. He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb as he gave her his famous lopsided smile. He then shifted to sit on the edge of her bed to engulf her in a warm hug.

"I miss having you in my arms…" he murmured into her hair as he held her against his chest.

"And I long to be held in those strong arms of yours, too…" she rasped back. She pulled back after a moment of enjoying the warmth of his embrace, fearing he would fall ill if he were to stay too close.

"Well, that settles it then… You need to get better," he told her before placing a kiss on her forehead. He then reached for something on the tray.

"Nothing would make me more pleased than to see you well again," he said as he presented a tiny bouquet of freshly plucked lavender to her. She smiled at the lovely gesture.

"Besides, that beast of yours said she wanted her mistress on her back soon, so she wouldn't have to carry _me_ around," he said humorously with a twinkle in his eyes.

Her smile was that of amusement. He chuckled and playfully tapped her nose with a lavender flower.

Susan felt better already.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, I think this was awfully horsey and cute, but I hope you like it nevertheless!**

 **How ironic that Susan would fall ill now that they had started to plan their wedding, don't you think?**

 **Truthfully, it's just a staller for myself now that I need to make progress in the story. It must be so boring for you all to just read fluff, smut and cute moments! Well, I personally love fluff/familystuff, so I hope you're not giving up on me anytime soon.**

 **Love you, lovelies, and thanks to all that reviews and favourite my story, it seriously makes my day when I get notifications like that! x**

 **Until next time,**

 **Dragon**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello, and merry meet again! Back with a wee snippet before the wedding chapter!**

 **I have had exams and the like up my you know what, so I haven't had time to write. Hopefully that will change soon!**

 **This one will focus more on Eustace and his relationship with his cousins and Caspian + Suspian.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **(PS: Yes, another lemon - preceed at own cost)**

* * *

"One. Two. Three. Four," Caspian counted as Peter aided Eustace with his footwork combined with sword handling. Eustace, a sheen of sweat on his forehead, concentrated on moving correctly to the rhythm whilst blocking Peter's sword with his own.

The sun hung low above the trees surrounding the training fields now that the evening crept on. The royals had found time that afternoon to train with their preferred class of weapons, and Eustace had come along after his afternoon classes with Professor Cornelius. The royals had been busy as of late with wedding arrangements, invitations whilst meeting with tailors and seamstresses. The last invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Galmar had been sent off two days ago, and now this day was closing in on them. Feeling the pressure, both the bride and groom was glad to let off some steam by working out.

Caspian helped his fellow King and Lord-to-be with swordsman combinations and whilst Trumpkin the dwarf and Edmund was busy in the archery range, Lucy and Susan fought with dual blades. The girls were now healthy again after the cold they suffered, and back to their normal schedules. Now, they wore simple dresses that were perfect for duelling and training in general. Lucy's braided hair whipped around as she attacked her opponent with her right sword. Susan dodged it by crossing her silver combat daggers. She then kneed her sister in the stomach, which staggered her and made it easy for Susan to knock her onto her back in the grass. Lucy didn't have the time to pick herself up before Susan's dagger were inches away from her chest.

"Hey, not fair!" Lucy exclaimed with a slight pout.

"You left your front unguarded. Remember, you have two hands and a sword in both. So, keep your guard up at any cost," Susan lectured in her usual attitude, leaving Lucy grinning with a roll of her eyes.

Susan shared her grin before helping Lucy up on her feet.

"I'm definitely going to feel that one tomorrow," the younger Pevensie girl groaned as she rubbed at the spot where Susan's knee had hit her. Susan sent her an apologetic look with her crystal-blue eyes. The two girls grabbed their water skins, shared a drink, before they walked up to Caspian, Peter and Eustace. The latter was leaning his hands on his knees whilst bent down as he panted. His sword was at his feet whilst Peter rotated his in his hand and in merry conversation with Caspian. The two men turned to the sisters as they approached.

"You've really pushed that poor boy far, haven't you?" Susan asked her older brother, who merely shrugged.

"No pain, no gain," he said with a smirk. Susan looked at him sternly, obviously concerned for her cousin.

"He's come far, though! He's learning quickly." Caspian said with a look of satisfaction upon his face.

"Well, I suppose that's the way it's always been with you, Peter. Learn fast or die," Lucy said with a chuckle. Peter nudged her arm playfully.

"That philosophy has worked well on me, at least," Caspian said, referring to the time he was trained by his uncle's soldiers.

"But is it really fair of you to spar with Eustace? I mean, he is a novice – you are both strong, trained men," Lucy stated,

"Lucy, it's fine, really. I'm learning so much from them – from all of you, truly." Now regaining his speech, Eustace praised them gratefully, making them all smile tenderly. Peter hummed as he rubbed his chin.

"She has a point, actually. You might as well try to spar with someone that isn't me, Ed or Caspian," Peter said, making Eustace eye him sceptically. He has in fact never sparred with anyone else than Reepicheep, Edmund, Caspian, Peter or a trained soldier. The group grew silent for a moment, before Peter turned to the girls.

"Susan," he said. Susan cocked her brow at him.

"Me? Why me?"

"Because you two are the same height – for now – and I know you can handle a blade well. You are also left-handed, making this an interesting twist for him."

Susan opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted before she could decline:

"Look at it as a lesson – he will learn from the experience!" Peter argued on, and she was still about to decline, but found that she couldn't. He _did_ have a valid point, and she valued learning in any form or shape.

"Fine." She finally agreed with a sharp exhale. Peter gave her his sword, and she rotated it in her hand to get a feel of it.

Lucy, Caspian and Peter stepped away to form a circle around Eustace and Susan. Eustace picked up his sword and shifted his grasp on the handle several times. He gulped as he noticed that his cousin _definitely_ had held a sword before. Knowing Susan, he knew that she was too gentle to actually harm him, but he had also seen her with her bow – he feared she was just as flawless with a blade. She posed into fighting stance and shifted her weight on her feet a couple of times before flexing her sword arm one last time.

"Now Eustace, what will be your biggest challenge with this kind of opponent?" Peter asked his younger cousin.

"Uhm… She's left-handed?" he replied uncertainly.

"And?" Caspian chimed in.

"Ah…. Well, she knows what she's doing!" he continued on quite hesitatingly.

"You're half right: she's a different opponent with distinct experience. She might be unpredictable as you don't know her skills. It will be like this when facing a foe – a complete stranger who's only motive is to kill you. That's why you need to predict your foe's moves and to be able to defend yourself," Peter told him. _Fair enough,_ Eustace thought as he too got into a defensive position.

" _She_ won't kill you, however. Focus on blocking her," Caspian added as he stood beside Peter, examining the match.

"But… This is so strange!" Eustace exclaimed.

"Why?" Peter asked.

"Because…. She's a girl!" Lucy rolled her eyes at his remark.

"C'mon, you're not going to hit her!"

"Afraid of losing to a girl, Eustace?" Susan asked with a smirk. He didn't respond, but was instead taken aback when she slashed her sword at him, making him fail to block. The metal cut through the air with an audible _'shiiinggg!'_. He jumped back clumsily with a ' _whoa!'_ , just avoiding the blade. He held his arm in front of him in surrender as he staggered.

"I can see why!" Lucy said under her laugh, making Eustace look at her with a displeased frown. He did not like to be made fun at. And yet again, Susan's blade slashed against his, instantly disarming him.

"Never look away from your enemy, you know this, Eustace!" Peter shouted at him.

"Forget the distractions, your only focus should be to defend yourself," Caspian said, mentioning for him to try again. Eustace sighed, annoyed for allowing himself to be taken aback so quickly, and picked up his sword from the grass.

This time, when Susan attacked him, he was prepared and dodged it. A bit clumsily, but nevertheless, he blocked her.

"Good!" Peter praised.

Susan now sparred with Eustace in a combination. She moved the sword in a way she knew he had been taught: she aimed in turn at his head, shoulder, other shoulder, arm and arm. Eustace blocked each of her attacks.

"That's better!"

The lithe Queen spun into a melee attack and came in to stab him. He avoided her blade, and he tried to remember what he had learned of proper footwork to avoid her following horizontal attack. Susan was not even out of breath, whilst Eustace was panting like a dog. He was right – she knew _exactly_ what she was doing.

"Come on, Eustace, keep up!" Peter encouraged him.

Knowing that he now could keep up, she picked up speed.

She cut her sword down against his, and the two swords crossed three times. She was strong too, and Eustace had to use both hands to hold his own sword up. At the fourth block, she spun and slashed at him horizontally again, and he managed to jump instinctively over her blade.

"Yes, that's how it's done!" Peter praised with a raised fist. He was in truth impressed with his cousin. Not many could keep up with his sister, as she was the most agile out of all four of them.

Eustace managed to land steadily enough to bring his sword down at Susan's shoulder which was turned against him. She brought her sword back and blocked it behind her, to his surprise. She threw his sword off the edge of hers with the sound of metal screeching against each other, before spinning back to face him.

Growing bolder, Eustace tried to attack her – She blocked him effortlessly, and forced him to step back instead.

Caspian, now merely studying the scene, eyed Susan with awe. He had in truth never seen her use a sword, only daggers, and he was thoroughly impressed with her. Who knew that the Gentle Queen, The Archer Queen, could handle Rhindon with such ease? She moved like a snake as she practically slithered around her opponent, with proper footwork and steady aim.

 _Her brothers have taught her well_ , he concluded as he continued to watch his fiancée and her cousin spar.

"She's got the advantage now, Eustace, what do you think you should do to bring yourself back?" Peter asked and crossed his arms expectantly. He expected Susan to cut him short, winning the match, but was mistaken, to his surprise.

Listening to his words, Eustace brought himself back by using all the strength in his very body to push her back. He blocked her attacks quickly, and as she cut him sideways, he locked their swords and rounded it with such strength that he managed to stagger her. Her sword was pushed down along with her as she staggered, making Eustace quick to bring his sword above her neck, stopping just there. She was breathing quickly as she turned her head to look up at him.

"Well done," she praised with a kind smile. Eustace, high on adrenaline, raised his sword with shaky arms and allowed her to stand up. She leant both hands on the pommel of the sword whilst the tip of the blade was resting against the grass.

Peter grabbed Eustace's shoulders and gave them an encouraging squeeze. He was smiling broadly, along with Lucy who brought Eustace and Susan water skins.

"I haven't managed to do that as of yet - well done, Eustace!" Lucy praised him. He gave her a breathless nod in gratitude. Susan handed back Peter's sword and took the water skin Lucy offered her, drinking deeply.

"That was so cool!" the youngest Pevensie said and shared a high-five with her sister.

"I haven't sparred in a long time," Susan said truthfully.

"Still, you're better than me!" Lucy stated, making her older sister shrug her off.

"Let that be the lesson for today, Eustace!" Peter said with a grin, sending the young boy a look of pride.

"Edmund will kick himself when he hears that he missed this," Caspian said with a cheeky smile. The group shared a laugh as they continued sparring, each taking a turn until darkness crept up on them.

. . .

"My arms will be stiff as logs in the morning," Lucy whined as she rubbed her shoulder.

"I'll drink to that," Susan chimed in with her equally tired limbs.

"But I need a bath before bed – I'll see you tomorrow," Lucy said as they walked down the hallway lit by torches on the walls.

"Good night." Susan called after her as she too made her way to her chambers to clean up.

After washing and changing into a white, thin gown, Susan made her way to the common room. It was now empty, and so she sat down on the sofa in front of the hearth and crossed her legs. She rubbed her hands in front of the fire to warm them.

Soon, the doors opened again, and Caspian entered. He too looked tired after that day.

"Too early for bed?" he said lightly, making her smile tiredly.

"Or something like that," she said, her eyes going back to the flickering fire.

He sat down beside her on the sofa with a groan, his tense body finally loosening up after a long day. His head rested back, giving him a pleasant view of the very fascinating ceiling.

"Age getting to you, dear?" she said wittily, making him turn his head her way.

"Says the one who's 1300 years older than me," he replied with the same amount of wit.

"Are you calling me old?" she asked with feigned offence.

"Your words, not mine."

"How very mature of you."

"I know."

She then turned to look at him. She let out a chuckle with a shake of her head. He grinned at her, glad that they could be silly with one another. He needed some humour in his life, no matter how bad.

He sat up properly to face her, humour aside.

"Xerxes gave me word from Galmar a moment ago," he begun. Xerxes was his messenger eagle, "The Duke and Duchess accepted the invitation."

"Indeed?"

"Yes. They should be here within the week," Caspian said, sharing her smile.

"Well, I'm glad." She said with a genuine smile.

"Meaning the wedding is getting close," he added as he brought his hand behind her neck to pull her raven-black hair over one shoulder in a tender caress.

"It still seems so surreal…" she said, a small smile ghosting across her plump lips.

"I agree. And yet I wake up every morning, grateful that this isn't some dream, no matter how surreal it used to be." He said whilst meeting her gaze with tender brown eyes. They grasped after the other's hand simultaneously with wistful smiles - they did not want to think of what used to be. Her slender, pale hand fit perfectly in his larger, tan one, and it still fascinated her to this day.

She leant against his muscular frame with her head nuzzled under his chin whilst her free hand crept up to the side of his neck, her fingernails teasing the skin there. His right arm rested on the back of the sofa whilst the left was resting against her thigh, his thumb tracing gentle circles there. She sighed against his skin before planting a soft kiss there.

Sighing happily, the High King leant his jaw against the top of her head in exhaustion. Susan continued to plant lazy kisses on his neck, feeling the exhaustion herself after the extremely long day.

"Remind me to never spar with you, by the way," Caspian suddenly said with a grin.

"Why?" she said between kisses.

"Because I won't be able to stop myself from pinning you down to the ground and kissing you senseless," he said huskily. She smiled against his neck, making him pull back, lift his hand to grab the back of her head whilst capturing her lips into a hungry kiss.

She bit his lip teasingly before pulling back. She met his lustful gaze.

"Is that a challenge?" she purred, making him grab her hips to lift her effortlessly onto his lap in response. Her gasp was swallowed by his quick lips, recapturing hers. She snaked her hands around his neck as he devoured her. She pushed her chest against his and shivered against his radiating heat.

He found a string from the ties in front of her gown, and pulled on one. It revealed her collarbones and sternum, and he made sure to kiss his way down from her jaw, to her neck, and down the middle of her breasts.

She moaned at the feeling of his warm lips against her skin, and her head lolled back as he moved back to her neck and flicked his tongue on her pulse point, sucking and licking.

Her nails dug into the skin on the back of his neck, making him growl against her throat. His hands ran up along her thighs and under her gown to cup her taut, yet soft behind. Pushing her heat closer to his centre, Susan felt his member already rock-hard throb underneath her.

"Caspian, I need you. Now." She purred lustfully against his lips. He moaned against her lips as he laid her down on the sofa. His lips never left hers for a moment and he was hovering above her as she was laid on her back. Her hair was fanned out on the cushion, and the gown disarrayed. With lidded eyes of desire and heaving chest she looked utterly desirable, and Caspian moved his hand up along her thigh to bring it closer to his hip.

Her hands ran down his chest, over the fabric of his simple undershirt, until she found the button on his brown trousers. Opening it, she also freed him, and was free to grab his throbbing glory. He groaned against her lips as she ghosted her thumb over the slit of his head, spreading the pre-cum over his throbbing member.

It demanded everything in him to not buck into her hand so he could focus on fulfilling their needs.

Finding his way under her gown, he pushed her undergarment to the side, and guided himself into her slickness. He buried himself into her all the way to the hilt, making her gasp and arch her back under him as he filled her so deliciously.

"Oh, my love…" he moaned into her neck as he moved so smoothly within her. He kissed her deeply.

Her hands rested behind his neck, and she fisted his dark, thick hair which only seemed to spur him on.

He pushed away the open front on her gown with his nose to capture one of her breasts with his lips and tongue. That, combined with the feeling of his short beard brushing against her skin made her arch her back even more against the pleasureable feeling.

"My King…" she moaned before he slightly changed the angle of his thrusting. Something in her voice, the way she called him hers made the hairs on neck stand on end and a shiver surge through him.

"Say it again." He growled against her sternum as he kissed his way up to her collarbone.

"Oh, my King..." She clenched around him even tighter at the feeling of his thrusts. A familiar pressure was coiling up in the pit of her stomach, leaving her panting in anticipation.

"Again." Caspian were now bucking violently, yet at the same so pleasantly inside her, making her want to scream. But if they were to remain unseen, she knew better than to do such a thing, no matter how relieving it would be.

"Caspian… My King… Please," she was pleading now, for him to push her over the edge.

And that, he did. At the sound of her desirable cries, he bucked deeply into her as he bit down on the side of her neck. He soothed the offended skin by bathing the sore spot with his tongue, which also happened to trigger her orgasm. It was short, yet powerful, and it made her clench tight around him. He reached his own peak at the feeling of her own release, and she milked him as he came – hard. He groaned into her neck, his body trembling. He tried his very best not to collapse in fear of crushing her, but as Susan came down from her high, she stroked his hair and neck, resulting in him weakening completely. He rested his head against her neck as she caressed his hair and back, giving him time to come down from his own high.

By the time the couple had recovered, Caspian sat up, freeing Susan from the weight of his body. She stood up, straightened her white gown and stretched. Caspian stood up behind her, trousers in its place, looking more tired than ever, in the most satisfied way.

Seeing her fidget with her hair before letting it cascade down her back to her behind, he walked up behind her, encircled her waist with his arms and kissed her revealed shoulder.

"Sleep with me?" he asked her huskily. She smiled tiredly, knowing that they would probably fall asleep the moment they got under the duvet.

"Certainly."

He pressed a hand against the small of her back to urge her forward, to his chambers, so they could get some well-earned sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that was fun!**

 **Soon, to the wedding! I can't wait to write it, and I hope I get time to do it soon!**

 **Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this little chapter, and that I haven't lost my touch. Nursing theory is all that's been in my head lately.**

 **Please, R &R for either suggestions, advice, or simple feedback! X **

**I heart you all, and I honestly don't know if I would be motivated to write without your lovely feedbacks x**

 **Until then, take care!**

 **Yours,**

 **Dragon**


	14. Chapter 14 - Wedding

**A/N: Hiya! I'm so sorry for my delay, exams have really taken all my time, but fortunately, I'm now on summer vacation!**

 **As many of you have expected: the wedding chapter! I used a long time to write this, and I hope you all enjoy it. I struggled a bit towards the end, but I think it turned out alright nevertheless.**

 _ **I recommend listening to London Grammar's album 'If You Wait' to this chapter, and Gabrielle Aplin's version of "Power of Love" during the ceremony**_ **.**

 **As always, a warning:** **Lemon at the end.**

 **Well, that should be all! Enjoy your reading! x**

* * *

The people of Narnia were overjoyed this day. Shops in the village of Cair Paravel had closed early, so people could feast, laugh and make merry in celebration of the High King and Queen. The citizens, both Narnian and Telmarine had dressed in their finest wear, and they ate and drank together with their families in waiting for the parade to pass through the village. The streets were decorated in ivy and white roses and other flowers of purity. The streets of cobblestones had been swept and kept empty for the High Queen and her party to ride through, and even some people were stood in corners, drinking whilst they waited.

One shop, however, had lights on inside, and one could see handmaidens scurrying about the shop through the frosted windows, with fabrics, baskets of flowers and the like at hand.

High Queen Susan stood quietly in front of a vanity mirror as two Telmarine seamstresses worked efficiently with needles and thread to finish the last touches on Susan's wedding dress. It was a good thing the fabric was so light and silky, anything warmer, Susan would die of a heatstroke – not something she had in mind on her wedding day. Adding to the endless hours she had to stand, and the fact that she was more than a little nervous, she felt quite hot and bothered. She was happy, yes, but the fitting of dresses reminded her more of her final year in England, where her mother and her company of ladies had practically tied her down and "fixed her up" as they would call it in order for her to find herself a suitor.

 _If only mother could see me now,_ Susan pondered wistfully. She was to be married this evening, and even though she was bursting with joy, she was sad that her parents were not there to spend the day with them, to see how far they had all come.

A handmaiden interrupted Susan's train of thought as she held a basket in one arm, whilst holding two flowers in another.

"The baby's breath or rice flower?" she asked expectantly. One of the seamstresses poked her head up around Susan's waist.

"The baby's breath – it will blend beautifully with the white roses." The woman said, heavily accented. "How are you holding up, your Grace?" she asked Susan, who swallowed hard.

"I'm fine, thank you."

The sound of a fresh trot against cobblestones could be heard outside the shop, and the Queen craned her neck as much as she could in her compromised position to see her younger sister come to a stop on Susan's Friesian mare, Iris. Her mane had been curled, her black leather tack polished, and the horse had never looked so shiny. She could see Lucy hop off her horse, and the silhouette of two soldiers lingered outside the shop with the horses. The bells above the shop's door rang as Lucy entered the shop with a gentle bounce in her stride. She was wearing an underdress, and Susan chuckled at the amusing image. A Queen, her baby sister, riding her horse clad in an underdress.

"I thought I might as well get ready to get in my own dress, hence my lack of proper attire. Nadia, do you ha-" Lucy's voice faltered at the sight of her sister. Her eyes became glossy with awe.

"Oh, Susan, you look so…. Breath-taking!" she said in a broken voice. And it was more than true:

The crepe satin and French Chantilly lace gown was so white it almost made Susan glow in a shimmering aura. The dress, long-sleeved and thin, hugged her body perfectly, flowing down into a long, delicate skirt. The back was open, yet discretely covering her back in a thin film of white fabric, the edges sewn in such a way that the flowery patterns of white circled down till the small of her back. The dress was like nothing both Susan and Lucy had ever seen before, and it had simply taken their breath away. Susan, suddenly feeling nervous from Lucy's stare in awe, started fidgeting with her sleeve that too were sewed with white flower patterns up to the elbows.

"Susan, do you have any idea how beautiful you look?" Lucy asked in a mere whisper. Susan looked down shyly.

"Thank you, Lu. I can't believe the day has arrived!"

"Well, you better! Remember, Su," Lucy said, taking her sister's hand, "you deserve this more than anyone," she said warmly, a twinkle of love in her eyes. Susan's eyes glistened with tears as she squeezed her younger sister's hand in comfort.

. . .

Narnian and Telmarine folk had gathered down at the harbour to greet the Galmanian ship that were currently docked. Sailors hurried with getting the plank down to the wooden platform, getting ready for their Duke and Duchess to step down.

High King Peter, King Edmund, Glenstorm, two carriages and chosen ones from the Captain's Guard stood waiting patiently for their guests from Galma to step down whilst their sailors helped getting out the plank and miscellaneous cargo.

Peter and Edmund stood proud with swords at their hips and dressed in fine tunics as seagulls, bells, and noise from the crew shouting commands to one another rang in their ears.

Then, a tall man, with shoulder-length, blond hair and a crown of gold stepped down the plank, his boots jingling gently. His red cape trimmed with lynx-fur fluttered softly in the gentle sea breeze. The man scanned the docks before his grey gaze settled on the two young Kings. The guard bowed in respect, whilst Peter stepper forward.

"Welcome, my Lord Duke. We are honoured to have you here at Narnian Court." Peter greeted the older man with a slight bow. The Duke bowed respectably, eyeing both Kings.

"The honour is ours, your Majesty." He said in a deep voice.

"How fared your journey?" Edmund asked the Duke, who nodded in appreciation.

"Well, many thanks. The sight of mermaids as we dock always amaze me."

A woman his age was now led down the plank with the help from a sailor. Tall and slim, her chocolate hair fluttered gently behind her in the breeze, and the crown braided into her hair shimmered in the sunlight. A handsome woman, she had a slight tan, kind green eyes and smiling lines. She curtsied elegantly before the Kings.

"My wife, Laetitia," the Duke presented her, as Peter and Edmund both kissed her hand. The Duchess then turned to her husband.

"Oh, Danmar, did you see the dryads as we walked down? Fascinating creatures, they are!" the Duchess said, truly impressed with Narnian creatures. _Surely, they did not see many of them at Galmanian court,_ Edmund thought. She was to speak further, when she felt something, or rather someone, was missing.

"Oh, Jelena, dear!" she called.

"Yes, mother!" a voice piped over the plank. Down, a young woman came skipping, a pretty brunette with grey eyes. She came to a stop between the Duke and Duchess, curtsying before the Kings.

"And my daughter, Jelena." The Duke presented her, a proud smile upon his lips. The young lady, a few years short of twenty years old, Peter guessed, smiled towards the Kings, and shared a gaze with Edmund, who tried his best to look unfazed by the beautiful girl before him. Seeing his brother kiss her hand, Edmund did the same, still trying to convince himself that he was not to be unnerved.

"Come, I am sure you all need your rest after the journey!" Peter said, leading the way to the carriages, where they would be taken up to the castle.

. . .

"Oh, stop fidgeting, you look great!" Edmund told his cousin as he helped him with his fencing cape.

"I can't help it, it itches!" Eustace complained.

"It's supposed to itch, what did you expect from wearing formal wear?" Edmund replied sarcastically as he tied the cape properly.

"How are you doing, Caspian?" The youngest Pevensie called, before hearing the curtains by the dressing room flutter.

"Alright?" Caspian said as he stepped out arms lifting slightly from his sides in expectation. Eustace and Edmund stilled in their actions. Caspian, dressed in a white tunic with golden ivy embroideries and a white and golden sash, could not look any more royal with the cape of cream fur and black pants and leather boots. With his bangs tied to the back of his head, he looked astonishing, leaving his company speechless for a very long moment.

"Mate, you're going to have problems fending off heartbroken ladies tonight for sure," the Just King said with a smirk.

"Is that a compliment?" Caspian asked with a raised brow.

"Yes." Edmund and Eustace said firmly in unison. Caspian grinned at the pair, rolled his eyes, and disappeared behind the curtains to finish up.

. . .

Now, most of the guests from wide and far had gathered in Cair Paravel, dressed in their finest attires and most extravagant jewellery. They were expecting the signal given from the guard that Queen Susan and her company of ladies were to arrive. But until then, people and talking beasts chatted, laughed, and clinked goblets in honour of this day.

The sun hung low over the mountains, as evening were making its stand.

In the village surrounding Cair Paravel, people were stretching their necks to have a look down the road in hopes of spotting the High Queen and her company of guards.

And then, came the view of two ladies carrying a basket at hand, throwing out white rose petals on the path behind them as they walked on, bright smiles on their faces, their dresses shimmering in the sunlight. People standing at the sides smiled, cheered and gasped in awe at the march. Queen Lucy the valiant walked right behind them, carrying a bouquet of pink, purple and white roses together with baby's breath between her hands. She walked with outmost grace, her head held high with a bright smile, and the people awed at her beauty.

Lucy wore a peach, full-length dress made, and it was quite befitting her tone of skin and auburn hair. Sleeveless, the dress had instead ribbons falling off the fastenings at her shoulders, gliding behind her in the soft breeze. Her hair had been curled, before braided away into a French braid. Her silver crown rested on her head, sparkling almost as much as her eyes. She truly looked every inch the Queen she was.

Behind her, the sound of heavy hooves against the cobblestones echoed through the village, and soon the most magnificent black horse people had ever seen rode through, with their High Queen on top, a big smile across her face.

An older, frail woman that was sat at a staircase of stone by the rode held her hands over her heart, her eyes tearing up at such beauty. Lucy, noticing this, picked out a rose from her bouquet of roses, walked over to the elderly woman, and handed her a large pink one, along with a big beam. The woman accepted the rose, and her sun-kissed, aged face lit up in a smile that made her look young again. Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes, and she thanked the young Queen, before Lucy skipped back to her place in the march.

Some people threw out flowers or greens in front of Iris' hooves, others waved their handkerchiefs in the air and cheered, but most people waved and shouted:

"Long live the King! Long live the Queen!"

Behind Susan and her steed there was a small train of soldiers, which again was followed by villagers, and together they all continued up until they made it up to the courtyard of Cair Paravel. Lucy was the first to rush inside, knowing that Susan would be attended to by her handmaids.

. . .

Peter, Eustace and other nobles were stood by the door inside the Throne Room, were the ceremony would take place. Edmund were otherwise occupied with duties as Caspian's best man.

As the small group of men were making a toast, Lucy slipped through the doors to join them. Peter was the first to recognize her.

"Lu… You look stunning!" he complimented her, and she beamed brightly at him in return.

"So do you, Peter!" she complimented him back. Wearing a silver tunic with black trousers and boots, he did in fact look both handsome and royal. He had grown a stubble for the occasion, and his hair had been combed back into a slick, yet gently curled style.

"Where's DLF?" she asked her older brother. Sipping from his goblet, he merely nodded towards the porch.

"Last I saw him," he said after he swallowed the wine, before she skipped her way over, greeting people on the way.

"DLF?" Lucy called as she walked through the glass doors out to the porch, giving a clear view to the sea and the beach.

"Trumpkin?" she looked everywhere, but he was not to be found. Shame, for she wanted to see him before the ceremony.

"Trump-…" she started, but a sight on the sands from below distracted her. Leaning against the railing, she squinted to get a better look at the golden figure walking towards Cair Paravel with graceful movements. The figure was not in a rush, he took his time rather, looking here and there, and it wasn't until it looked upwards towards the porch far away Lucy recognized him. Her face cracked open in a wide smile and she quickly turned to run.

. . .

Running through hidden hallways and through the apple gardens, Lucy soon took her first step on the wet sand on the beach. Seagulls and the sound of the waves was the only thing she could hear whilst she held her dress as she ran across the beach. She ran until she reached the certain someone.

Running into his embrace, the youngest Pevensie flung her arms around his neck. He chuckled deeply.

"Aslan…" Lucy whispered as she nuzzled against him and felt his soft, golden mane through her fingers.

"Hello, small one." The Great Lion greeted her as she held him close. After a long moment of embrace she finally let go to stand before him, one hand at his muzzle.

"I can't believe you're really here…" she said, a bit shaken at his appearance.

"I'm never far away, dear one. Even when you cannot see me, I am with you… In here," the wise lion said in his deep voice, lifting a paw to gently touch above her heart.

Pondering at his words, Lucy remembered that very little to nothing slipped through Aslan's claws, and decided to ask why he had showed himself. It couldn't be a coincidence to why he had showed up this day, at this hour.

"Are you here for the wedding?" the girl asked as she caressed his muzzle.

"If you should wish it, small one." Aslan said.

"Of course! The others will be thrilled!" Lucy exclaimed, as she quite literally bounced head over heels. She then remembered her manners, and cleared her throat.

"Nothing would make us happier, Aslan," she said, gentler this time, like the Queen she was. He chuckled warmly, and started to walk on the short way to the palace. Lucy accompanied him by holding one hand in his mane.

. . .

People at court had taken their seats, excitedly waiting for the ceremony to begin. With seats on either place of the Throne Room, the whole room was filled with people of all kinds and races. The long aisle was marked with a white runner rug, leading all the way up to the two steps the led to the five Thrones. There, up on the raised surface, stood Caspian and Edmund, with two centaurs in royal wear lingering on either side of the thrones. The ordained was standing in front of the Thrones on the middle just on Caspian's right.

Susan was currently standing in the hallway outside of the Throne Room, feeling more than nervous. For what reason, she didn't know – she only knew she was being irrational again.

 _This is not Rabadash you're marrying_ , she reminded herself sternly. To even think such thoughts was to dishonour Caspian, and she tried her very best to think about something else.

Letting out a long breath from between her lips, she heard boots come around the corner. Facing the sound, she soon saw her older brother, Peter. She smiled warmly at his attire. He smirked and made a gesture of self-admiration.

"I know, I look dashing," he told her. He knew she had pre-wedding jitters, and tried to raise her spirits. "As do you, little sister…" he told her genuinely as he raised a hand to give her exposed shoulder a comforting squeeze. "You look…. Like Mum, actually," he said with a cheesy grin. She smiled down at the floor, finding comfort in his words.

Her dress was now fitted perfectly to her figure, and she held her bouquet of white roses in her hand to go along with her dress and the image of purity (no matter how ironic it was). Her raven-black hair had been braided and pulled back into a messy bun, with two braids at the sides, leading to the back and into the bun. Gentle strands of curls fell from the bun, leaving thin locks framing her face. Small white flowers had been braided into her hair, and a silver clip of white gold rested at the back of her. The clip held the sheer, thin bridal veil, which fell to her feet.

Her makeup was done perfectly – the right touch of black eyeliner to enhance her blue orbs, and her already long, black eyelashes had been oiled perfectly. Her lips had been glossed too, but otherwise, she had a natural beauty that made make-up unnecessary.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked her, his big-brother in him awakening.

She exhaled again, made a small nod, before speaking:

"Yes."

They stood silent for a long time, knowing that the ceremony was soon to start. Susan suddenly shifted in her spot.

"Do you think Aslan would approve?" she asked quietly as she looked up at her older brother.

Peter was to reply, when the voice of their younger sister spoke up:

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Lucy called from behind them. Both Peter and Susan turned around, getting wide-eyed when they saw the Great Lion himself walking towards them with Lucy.

"Greetings, children," Aslan called, rendering both Pevensies speechless.

Not being able to respond, Susan walked up to the lion to hug him close. She rested her forehead against his much larger one.

"Aslan…" she murmured as she hugged his face.

"You look radiant, dear one," the lion spoke proudly. She stepped away from him and smiled.

For some time she had lived in fear, thinking that if he came back to them, it was to send her and her siblings back to their world. Though, after the day he told them they could no longer return, she had learned to give up that fear, and simply… Live, and find comfort in the very presence of Aslan, and learn from his words and lessons he had bestowed upon them.

"Peter," the lion greeted, getting a nod and a smile in return from the eldest Pevensie.

"We did not think you would come," Peter told him, not to accuse him, but speaking in the manner of disbelief.

"I would not miss this for anything," Aslan told them, keeping his kind eyes on Susan.

"You are hesitant to speak, Susan," he noticed, and she gave him a shy smile.

"I've been wondering if you think I'm doing the right thing, Aslan…" she admitted to the Great Lion. He looked at her with a warm smile.

"What do _you_ feel in your heart, Daughter of Eve?"

She blinked twice, as she wasn't expecting that answer from Aslan.

"I feel that… Caspian and I will be very happy together, and despite all the people who have doubted this union, this is the right thing to do," Susan spoke gently, and for the first time that day, she sounded sure of herself and her hearts desires.

"Then so it shall be," Aslan said in a gentle voice, filling her with much hope and joy. She looked at Aslan once again, curiosity in her eyes this time.

"Would you…. Would you wed us?" Susan asked hopefully, meeting the lion's amber gaze.

"Certainly, daughter." Aslan said, and turned to walk away to find his place at the end of the aisle.

"I shall meet you up there." He said, before walking away.

Susan looked after the lion's tail as he disappeared around the corner, feeling warmer than ever in her heart. She turned towards her older brother, and together they watched as Lucy made her way up the aisle with her bouquet at hand, serving her last purpose as maid of Honour.

Walking along the aisle with grace, Lucy met the gaze of several Lords and Ladies, and as she passed the last row of seats to find her place opposite Caspian and Edmund, she nodded and smiled towards Trumpkin, Professor Cornelius and Eustace, who were sat at the front row, looking at her with pride. She even spotted a smile cross the red dwarf's face, and _smile_ was something Trumpkin rarely did. Meeting her brother and Caspian's gaze, she smiled at them as they looked at her with awe. Caspian smiled warmly at her with proud eyes, making her smile at her feet shyly and finally find her place. Halting there, she soon she heard Trumpkin gasp from first row:

" _Beards and bedsteads!"_

And she knew why, because the whole hall gasped and whispered amongst themselves. Aslan had found his place at the podium, looking out at the people. From the day's last rays of sunlight breaking through the windows behind them, he seemed to have a golden aura around him, illuminating the room in a golden hue.

Susan and Peter were now stood down at the end of the aisle, ready to walk, but before that, Susan spoke one last time:

"Are you with me?"

Peter squeezed her arm.

"Always."

The people turned against the large wooden doors, for Peter and Susan had now begun to walk down the aisle, her free arm linked with his. Some noble ladies grew teary-eyed at the sight of the High Queen, others whispered in awe at her beauty, but most lords were quiet. Be it in envy or dislike, Susan didn't care. All she cared about right now, was the sight of Caspian up ahead, with Aslan looking down at her with pride.

When they were close enough, she could see Caspian more clearly, and her heart jumped at the sight of him, so handsome, so bright, and the very thought that he would be hers in mere moments was almost too much to comprehend.

The moment his gaze met hers, Caspian lost his ability to breathe. She looked so very beautiful, he believed her to be the most beautiful creature on earth, and the way she smiled at him, so coy, yet so very tender, his legs almost caved in. Instead, he walked down the two steps and met his bride and his brother-in-law by the podium. Halting there, Susan turned to her brother with an unreadable gaze. He shot her a smile, before bending down to kiss her cheekbone. He then took her hand, and after giving it a final squeeze, he gave her over to Caspian. She shifted her gaze towards the man she was marrying, Caspian, and he held her hand in the most reassuring way. Sharing a small smile, the couple walked up towards the podium before the Great Lion. Susan handed Lucy her bouquet, before she turned towards Caspian, facing him to hold both hands together. Aslan studied the couple for a moment, before he stood straight to greet the audience.

" _Loved ones, friends and honoured guests. We are all here today to celebrate Love_." The Great Lion began, his great and majestic voice carrying out to the whole hall.

" _Love organizes our large and sometimes unpredictable world. It is that which enshrines and ennobles our life experiences. High King Caspian the Seafarer, tenth of his name, a Son of Adam, and High Queen Susan the Gentle, first of her name, A Daughter of Eve, have decided to merge their lives in a union no one can break_."

Caspian and Susan struggled at paying attention to the lion's words, as they only had eyes for each other. He looked at her with his dark orbs in the most besotted way, and her crystal blue-grey eyes ensnared him in a spell, like they always did.

The Great Lion carried on with his speech:

" _The love they share will be an obsidian link, strong, mysterious and deep. Today we witness a marriage that began with the call of a horn. And from that beginning in a forest, their love has grown exponentially and reached toward the infinite_."

It was true, as the lion spoke, the day Caspian used the horn to call the Kings and Queens of Old back to Narnia, the prophecy of love started its course.

" _And now, today your High King and High Queen become a set that is natural, complex, and occasionally irrational, but always real. Marriage is a bold step, taken together, into an unknown future. It is risking who we are for the sake of who we can be. Two among us, who have stood apart, come together now, to declare their love and to be united in marriage_."

The Great Lion then turned to Edmund at the side.

" _King Edmund the Just, the rings please."_

Edmund stood forward, and gave Caspian the set of rings, who had turned to give him a pat on his shoulder. Turning back, he handed Susan his ring, taking hers in his own palm.

" _Now, the vows_." Aslan spoke, looking down at the couple before him as they held eyes only for each other.

Caspian began speaking, his voice powerful as he recited the vows by tradition:

" _With this ring, I thee wed. Take it as a sign of my everlasting and unconditional love, with all that I am, and all that I have from this day forward, as your lawfully wedded husband."_

He finished reciting the vows by sliding the ring upon Susan's ring finger, and he couldn't help but notice how right it all felt. It felt as if his heart would burst any moment, and he wondered if he could contain it all. The moment her ring was in place, it was if everything fell at its rightful place in the world.

Now, it was Susan's turn to recite the vows. Her voice, even though gentle, carried out into the room for all to hear:

" _With this ring, I thee wed. Take it as a sign of my everlasting and unconditional love, with all that I am, and all that I have, from this day forward, as your lawfully wedded wife."_

She slid his ring upon his finger, before looking up at him lovingly. Brown gaze locked with blue, and he took her smaller hands in his as the Great Lion spoke on:

" _Love freely given has no giver and no receiver. You are each the giver and each the receiver. The wedding ring is a symbol, in visible form, of the unbroken circle of your love, so that wherever you go, you may always return to your shared life together."_

Aslan then paused, looked down at the couple, before he continued his speech:

" _May these rings always call to mind the power of your love. You have stated your wish to live together, always open to a deeper, richer friendship and partnership. You have formed your own union, based on respect and honour_."

Lucy looked down to her friends, and noticed Trumpkin swiftly wiping at the corner of his beady eyes. She smiled at the scene, before paying attention to the Great Lion's last words:

" _Therefore, it is my joyful responsibility to officially acknowledge your union as 'Husband and Wife'. You may now seal your marriage with a kiss."_

Stepping closer towards each other, Caspian cupped Susan's jaw before placing his lips down to hers, kissing her passionately.

The audience stood up and cheered as the High King and Queen sealed their marriage. The clapping, whistles, howls and all kinds of sounds from talking beasts and humans made Caspian dip his bride slightly backwards to engulf her in passion as they kissed. The audience cheered even louder, and when they broke the kiss, the two royals could for the first time in their life face their people as husband and wife.

. . .

Once at the feast, the Ballroom was filled with merriment, music, dancing and food. The ceremony had been a success, and the people were now waiting for the newlyweds to arrive.

Caspian, Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace were now outside in the courtyard, as they had been summoned there by Aslan. The lion had lingered enough behind for chats and laughs, but now he had other places he was needed.

"I must leave you know, children." The Pevensies looked sadly at the wise lion. He turned towards them.

"You have made Narnia stronger than ever before, today, and for that, I am grateful," he told them, genuinely thankful for the Sons and Daughters of Adam and Eve.

Lucy walked up to him to hug him, her eyes tearing at the parting. She sniffed into his mane.

"Will we meet again?" she said when she managed to part from him. He purred in musing, looked her in the eye, before answering:

"Yes, dear one. One day." He said, high enough for all to hear. Now, it was Susan and Caspian's turn to approach the beast.

"Thank you, Aslan – for everything," Susan said, knowing that they probably wouldn't meet again for a very long time.

"I shall always protect mine, and those of me. Remember that, dear one." She stroked his muzzle one last time.

The lion then turned to Caspian:

"Never forget, my son; no matter what else, we have love. Always love."

Caspian understood his words – having been alone for so long, always longing for that which was taken from him, he now had a reason to let the past go, and strengthen himself, and in turn, the Kingdom. Love was the very reason, from the people he considered to be family, and now, from his bride.

Caspian nodded in gratitude towards Aslan, and stepped back with Susan as they all watched the lion walk away into the forest. His golden, majestic figure soon disappeared out of sight, and the monarchs turned towards the others.

The group of Pevensies with Eustace all shared a smile, not really knowing what to say, until Peter beckoned them all inside to join the feast.

"C'mon."

. . .

Once inside, they all quickly joined the rejoicing of the new King and Queen. Wine was flowing, food went around for what seemed like forever, and laughter always seemed to present in the Ballroom.

Caspian and Susan had been greeting other nobles, highborn and monarchs from neighbouring courts for what seemed like a very long time, and were currently talking with Duke Danmar and the Duchess Laetitia. Their daughter Jelena was somewhere behind them, talking merrily with Edmund as they drank from their goblets.

"A magnificent ceremony, my King. You must be very happy with your exquisite bride," the Duchess spoke, who smiled fondly towards Susan. Caspian smiled warmly towards the Duchess whilst holding Susan close to his side, whilst her arm came to rest at his back.

"I'm beyond words, thank you," he said, making the Duchess gathering her hands above her heart at his honest proclamation.

"We wish you all the happiness," The Duke bade them with a hand over his heart.

"Thank you, my Lord," Susan said, smiling tenderly towards the older couple. The Duke and Duchess were then distracted by partners from their business trade and moved away from the newlyweds.

Susan sighed, feeling quite smothered by all this attention, but not at all displeased. Caspian took her hand and raised it up to his lips to kiss it.

"Are you alright?" he asked her tenderly. She turned towards him with a smile, giving him a reassuring nod. He brushed her cheek with the backside of his fingertips, making her lean into his touch.

"Most surreal…" he murmured, and she smiled cheekily at him.

"Want me to pinch you to make sure you're awake?" she asked cheekily, making him grin.

"I would have to kill any man who would dare to wake me up from a dream like this," he said, half-serious. Her giggles were smothered by his lips as he claimed hers in a kiss.

The clinking of a fork against a silver goblet caught the whole room's attention, making the newlyweds break their tender moment.

Peter had been the one to initiate the silence. Standing nearby, he held his goblet high as he turned his body towards Caspian and Susan.

"My fellow King and Queen, Caspian and Susan!" Peter spoke, his voice booming across the room. His gaze shifted between Caspian and Susan whilst his lips stretched into a proud smile.

"It is with equal parts joy, and relief, that I finally can give you my blessing," he spoke, and the audience around them agreed with hums and clapping of hands. Susan looked at her brother with a look of love, now more thankful for him than ever.

"On behalf of our closest circle at court, I wish you eternal happiness and joy in life. As your bride, Narnia's High Queen, and my sister, I have known her for 21 years. And I know in that time, she has never opened her heart in the way she has for you. This is the very reason why I know a better man for her does not exist, and why you are like a brother to me. Congratulations, the both of you, and High King Caspian – welcome to the family." Peter spoke, making the people applaud and cheer at his speech. Raising his goblet higher, he shouted to finish his toast:

" _Cheers!"_

The room saluted with him and drank from their goblets, together with the new King and Queen. As others sank their goblets from their lips, they started to cheer on as they noticed their Gentle Queen emptied her goblet. They chanted to cheer her on, and even Caspian had to remove the goblet from his lips to watch his bride down her drink. He and Peter looked at her in awe as she chugged her drink. She raised her goblet when she finished, making the people near her cheer and whistle loudly. Her new husband looked at her, most impressed. She grinned cheekily up at him, licking her upper lip tentatively. He held her against him as they continued their festivities.

. . .

While Peter held conversation with a group of noblemen, Trumpkin drank with Professor Cornelius and a group of fauns, and Lucy had taken Eustace on the dancefloor, where the band now played a fast-rhythmed Narnian melody. Still clumsy at feet, Eustace had learned most of the dance, but didn't still quite have the moves in place. Lucy tried the best she could, but in truth, she was happy to see he merely enjoyed himself. Caspian and Susan were stood on the outskirts of the dancefloor, watching the different couples dance, as they rested from the many dances they had done that evening. Spotting Lucy and Eustace some distance away, the couple laughed at the joyful sight of Lucy trying to teach her cousin the right feet-combination.

"Do you want to show them how it's done?" Caspian asked his bride with a challenging smirk, his hand held out for her. She matched his grin, and took his hand as she allowed him to lead her to the dancefloor for the umpteenth time – not that she was complaining. Entering the ring, both Caspian and Susan found the rhythm at once, never skipping a beat, and he managed to spin his bride simultaneously as the other couples, whilst Eustace clumsily tried to spin Lucy, which became more of a half-turn. Losing concentration when he spotted Caspian moving Susan around the floor with ethereal grace, Eustace missed Lucy's move, and instead of grabbing her hands to raise them above their heads, he was instead hit in the nose by her elbow. Staggering back, his partner became frantic as she got them off the floor to get some tissues for his bleeding nose. Caspian and Susan continued their dance, and she let herself be dominated on the floor as he led her around.

They finished their dance gracefully, and whilst they both were out of breath, they moved off the dancefloor to get more wine and some rest.

They soon found their family, and noticed Eustace dabbing his nose with a bloodied tissue. Lucy stood at his side with a look of concern.

"Oh my, what happened?" Susan asked concerned.

"We had an accident at the dancefloor," her little sister explained.

"Hmm, you and your two left feet, Eustace" Susan tutted, making said person scowl.

"Oh shush, you two distracted me!" he defended himself in a nasal voice, making both her and Caspian chuckle.

"Well, we thoroughly apologize for being such good dancers," Caspian said cheekily, making him scowl even deeper.

"Theeeere's the blushing bride and golden groom!" Peter suddenly exclaimed behind their backs. He flung one arm around his sister, the other arm hung off Caspian's shoulders. Susan sighed heavily.

"You're drunk, aren't you?" she asked him, and just by looking at how he squinted, she could tell he was.

"No, no, not at all! Just a bit in a good mood!" the oldest Pevensie said, in much higher volume than needed. Looking at her closely, too close for comfort, really, he smiled goofily.

"Hey, you look really pretty today, did'y know that?" Peter asked her as he poked her nose. She swatted his hand away, sighing once more.

"Why, thank you, Peter. You know, maybe you should find Edmund," she tried to persuade him. There was no way that she was going to take care of her drunken brother at her own wedding celebration. Luckily, Peter was a gullible drunk.

"Oh, yeah! Edmund! He owes me a drink, because I won that bet!"

"What bet?" Caspian asked

"Y'know, I betted against him that both of you would be gone by nine pm. And well, it's past ten now, so that means I win that drink of dwarven mead!" Susan smacked her own forehead at his words, turning red, whilst Caspian really couldn't hold his laughter back. He must say, he found drunk Peter much more entertaining than sober Peter.

"That's it, you go find Edmund!" Susan ordered, shooing her older brother off. She would deal with him in the morning.

"Alright, alright, I'll go. You know, I'm glad you married this one, because now you can give him a tough time instead!" Peter said whilst nudging Caspian in the forearm. The latter found him entirely amusing, and couldn't take offence to his words.

"Go!" Susan barked, and pointed in the opposite direction. Her brother threw his arms up in surrender exaggeratedly and walked off. It was plain luck that he could still walk properly.

Once he was off, she met Caspian's gaze, and after a moment of silence, the two broke down in laughter.

"He is going to regret that wine in the morning," Susan said, chuckling under her breath.

"Indeed." Caspian agreed as his own laughter died down.

Simply standing there sipping their wines, Susan and Caspian watched their people enjoy themselves, and it was a joy to behold. The sight of Telmarines, Narnians and other folk celebrating like there was no tomorrow warmed their spirits. Soon, a gentle, romantic melody came to life by the band, and couples from all over entered the dancefloor to sway to its gentle melody.

Caspian held his hand out to his bride, meeting her gaze.

"Would you honour me with a dance?" he asked her, and even though Susan's feet ached terribly, she could never say no to him. She smiled sweetly at him, took his hand, and together walked to the floor.

It ended up with them swaying gently to the melody with her head resting against his chest, one arm around his waist, whilst his free one held her back to support her against him, as their hands that were linked together rested above his heart. He rested his chin on top of her head, sighing at the peace of it all.

"You know, if people had told me five years ago that I would marry the Gentle Queen of old, I would question their mental health," Caspian murmured against her hair. He felt her chuckle in response.

"Me too. It's not every day you get to marry the love of your life," she murmured against his chest, and he smiled soundly before kissing her jasmine and lavender-scented hair.

"Well… I'm blessed to be with you, Queen of my Heart," he confessed passionately, before snaking his hand behind her neck to tilt her head so he could kiss her. She would've melted into his arms there and then, if it hadn't been for the basic laws of physics. She broke the kiss to draw breath, but stayed close enough to lean her forehead against his. It was then he noticed how worn out she looked. He was pretty done for it himself, if he were to be honest.

"Do you want to retire?" he asked her gently. She cocked a dark brow at him with a subtle smile. "You look tired," bringing a hand up to play with a lock of her hair.

"Mmm, I am," she admitted as she stepped closer to him. He snaked his hands around her waist as they enjoyed the moment.

"I always forget how tiring it is to stand hours on end whilst seamstresses fit my dress," she mused, making him chuckle.

"Mmm, quite the dress, indeed," he said in approval as he rubbed small circles with his thumb on her waist. She giggled at his reaction. After looking at the result in the mirror earlier that day, she knew by fact that that dress would make his blood boil.

"You clean up rather nice yourself…. 'golden groom'," she giggled whilst quoting Peter's words, making him scoff. He shut her up with a kiss.

When they broke apart, her eyes had a certain shimmer, one that he knew _quite_ well.

She rested her arms around his neck as she stood on her tip-toes. She leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"And despite all those hours in front of the vanity mirror, you will be surprised how easy this dress is to take off…" she murmured sensually in his ear, making the hairs at his neck rise.

"Is that a challenge, my lady?" he purred against her neck. Yes, they would most definitely have to retire soon.

"Only if you can live up to it," she purred back, and she could feel more than hear him growl against her neck as she spurred him on.

"Well then, lead on my sweetness, I shall follow," he told her sensually, making her smile.

They ended up walking arm in arm towards the wine kegs, before discreetly slipping through a backdoor when they were sure no one had seen them leave. The party would go on until the morning, and it was less likely they would be missed.

Once outside in the quiet and empty hallway, they could relax. With nothing more to it, the newlyweds made their way to his chambers, with Susan leading the way.

She held his hand whilst leading him through the dark set of corridors until they could see the large set of doors that led to his chambers.

"So, did my wife enjoy her wedding day?" he asked her. She turned against him with a genuine smile and ' _mhm_ '-ed at his question. "Well, then there is only one thing left for it," he stated, and took two quick steps forward to scoop Susan up into his arms.

She yelped cutely as he literally swept her off her feet to carry her bridal style.

"Is this really necessary?" she asked him, but her grin told him she wasn't entirely put off by tradition.

"I'm nothing, if not traditional." He told her with that lopsided smile she was so fond of.

Pushing the door open with his hip, he managed to get them inside his chambers. Once inside, they both were taken aback at how the room were decorated.

Candlelight lit the room together with the stoked hearth, and the soothing crackling from the fireplace filled their ears. His king-sized bed was readied with furs and on the nightstand, there was several plates of exotic fruits and a mug of water. On the small table by the fire there was bottles of wine and two silver goblets. The smell of fresh flowers filled their senses as they spotted the colourful flowers in a vase by the wine.

Gingerly, Caspian let Susan down on her feet so he could shut the doors behind them.

Susan kicked off her shoes, took off her hairclip and veil, along with the flowers and braids, and by the time Caspian turned to her, he watched as her raven-black hair cascaded down in gentle curls to her behind. It must have felt good to get all of that off. Taking off his sword belt, he made his way over to her as she faced the crackling fire.

His chest against her back, he snaked his arms around her waist to pull her closer. He bent down to kiss her shoulder, and he felt her sigh against his embrace and lean back. To think, they were finally wed. Free to be man and wife, to not hide from anyone or anything. They would face all the ages of this world together, and nothing would come between that.

At peace with that thought, Susan turned her head to the side to brush his lips with hers. She turned in his arms to face him, and the hands at her waist tightened to pull her closer against him.

Opening to him, his tongue wrestled with hers as they ravished each other. Her hands snaked under the hem of his shirt and ran up along the warm skin along his sides, whilst pushing the shirt upwards as well. Caspian had opened the buttons a long time ago, and so it was no task at all to pull the shirt over his head. He stepped back to do so before returning to her hungry kiss. Remembering his manners, he pulled back from the kiss.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. They had been together several times before, but he decided to ask anyway, in case she had changed her mind.

"Of course," she said between kisses as she ran her open palms over the hard plates of his chest. He grinned against her lips whilst allowing his hands to travel to her sides.

"Well, in that case – let me help you with this…" he murmured huskily as his fingers located the thin straps at the sides. Tugging at the ties there, the dress became loose enough to simply slide off her shoulders. Abandoning her lips, he kissed down her jaw, neck, all the way to her shoulder as he effortlessly pushed the dress down her shoulders. The dress fell to the floor silently, and pooled around Susan's feet, who was left in nothing but white, lace knickers. Her exposed body shivered against the air, but Caspian's arm and front were quick to provide her with warmth. Burying one hand in her dark, thick locks, another went to pull her waist close to him as he kissed her hungrily. After managing to open the button of his trousers, she ran her hands up his strong, muscly biceps before they settled around his neck. She had to stand on her tiptoes to reach up as he was so much taller than her, but in truth, it made her feel protected and safe to have him towering over her.

Yet, it pained her that she couldn't get closer, and it must have bothered Caspian too, for the next thing she knew, he had grasped the behind of her thighs and heisted her up into his arms. A small yelp escaped her lips, but it was smothered by his lips. As she locked her ankles around his waist, he pushed her front closer to his, and being skin against skin with his wife felt more than right after today.

All the while kissing her soundly, he carried her over to his – well, theirs, now – bed and fell on top of her there. Kissing her senseless, he pressed his body against hers. He felt her chest heave against his, and he settled between her thighs, still clad in trousers.

The fabric of his trousers brushed against the apex of her thighs, and the feeling, or lack of attention thereof, made her gasp. She snaked her hands under the waistband of his black trousers, felt the warm skin there, before Caspian caught on and tore away from her to get out of his remaining clothes. Now naked, he fell back into her awaiting arms to consummate their marriage.

Kissing him, she took his lower lip between her teeth and pulled gently on it. He growled in desire, making her wiggle her hips against his to tease him. He brushed his lips down her neck to her collarbones before tracing patterns there with his feverish tongue. The hand that wasn't currently holding her hips still, kneaded her right breast just right, making Susan mewl and rake her nails up the skin between his shoulder blades.

"Caspian…" she cooed, squirming even more from his teasing.

"Shh, my beautiful…" he replied, and she shivered as his hot breath brushed against the hollow of her neck. She shifted her hips to let him know of her impatience, and she wasn't entirely surprised to feel that he was already hard and throbbing. The feeling of the lace fabric brushing past his member made him hiss both in pain and pleasure, and it was then he decided to move on.

Kissing down her collarbones, he dragged his lips down between her breasts, all the while holding her hips with his strong arms, and whilst he descended her body, she shivered as his short beard brushed against the skin of her taut stomach. He kissed her hipbones, the dip there and the angle between her thighs and hips. He then took hold of the waistband of lace clothing between his teeth, making Susan gasp when he tore it straight off her body and threw the offending clothing somewhere.

"Oh, you," she scolded half-heartedly as she propped herself up on her elbows, looking down at him with lustful eyes. Winking at her, he bit teasingly at the inside of her thigh, making her chuckle huskily before a groan escaped her lips when he dived into her centre. She bit her lower lip as he skilfully devoured her. He was a selfless and talented lover, which she had praised him for some weeks ago.

Truthfully, it was her reactions that did it for him: her soft mewls, quiet whines and moans, they all spurred him on into treating her just right and did as much for him as they did for her. Also, he knew her body well by now to know what triggers her moans and what makes her hands clench the sheets until her knuckles turn white.

By now, she was a trembling mess, and the last flick of his tongue drew out a long, sensual moan as she came. Her thighs were shaking, yet he drew out her climax for as long as she could take it. When she could no longer take it without physically passing out, she nestled her fingers in his thick locks, and dragged him up to her face to kiss him senseless. He brought her still shivering body close to his as he settled between her thighs once more. Nudging her head to the side with his nose, he feasted on her exposed neck, and bathed her pulse point with his tongue. It made her stomach curl in that familiar way, the way that made her whole body tingle. He ran one hand down the side of her body before he reached the back of her thigh and pulled it over his hip. His member brushed over her slick folds, and her warmth was enough to make him combust there and then.

Susan smirked, reached down between them and curled her fingers around his throbbing shaft. His groan did not go unnoticed, and she tortured him even further by spreading precum over the head with her thumb.

"Susan…" he growled against her lips, clearly frustrated. She felt compassionate, and so she led him into her before releasing him. Her hand went up to his ribs, and before she could explore him further, he had entered her in one, full, slick thrust. Her fingernails clawed down the sensitive skin of his ribcage at the impact, and they both groaned at the union.

He filled her so well, and every thrust he made took her higher and higher into their shared euphoria. Her nails started to bite into his skin, something he couldn't cope with any further – though he loved it when she marked him, he was especially sensitive by the ribs.

He grabbed her hands, forced them down at the side of their heads and continued to pump into her. She intertwined their fingers as they coupled, moaning and arching her back against him when he hit just the right spot.

Biting softly on her neck, he brought their locked hands above her head and continued his powerful thrusting into her wet tightness. His hips snapped into hers, all the while seeing stars behind his eyelids.

Susan was now panting beneath him, and at how she clenched around him, Caspian suspected very little would do to push her off the edge once more.

Raising his left thigh further up, he managed to prop it against the back of Susan's thigh, separating her thighs as far as they could go, making sure to penetrate her as deeply as possible. This new angle brought a stronger wave of pleasure for the both of them, and Susan bit down on his lower lip as he rammed into her. It wasn't much else she could do in her compromised position, other than being dominated by her partner and receiving pleasure from his powerful thrusts.

A sheen layer of sweat appeared on Caspian's back, and he was panting like a stallion in wild gallop. Loving her, he showered her with kisses and love bites, all the while whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

"Ah, Caspian, please," Susan begged with a moan.

"Let go, my love," he told her huskily as he brushed his lips along her jaw.

And let go, she did. The feeling of his breathy voice against her skin was the straw that broke the camel's back, and triggered her second orgasm that evening.

A breathy moan escaped her lips, her whole body trembled, and her inner muscles clenched around her partner in a grip of slick steel. Caspian too, followed shortly into his euphoria. Her inner muscles milked him as he thrust into her to release his seed. He stiffened for a moment, before he allowed himself to exhale and relax. They were both panting and their hearts were galloping. Releasing her hands, Caspian propped himself up on his elbows to look down on her. She moved her hands to rest on the sides of his neck as she met his clouded gaze whilst they calmed their racing hearts and caught their breaths.

For some reason, laughing felt the most natural thing to do at that moment, and that's what they did. A light, warm laughter escaped from the couple as they enjoyed the aftermath of their lovemaking.

He kissed her deeply, before nuzzling the side of her face with his nose.

Now, they were rightfully man and wife.

. . .

"I can still hear the party going on," Caspian mused before taking a sip of his wine.

"Like I said – we will not be missed," Susan agreed from her place beside him.

"Let's hope you're right about that for the next couple of days," he said with a chuckle and fed her a grape. She chewed the sweet, dark purple grape, as she gazed at him. Staying in his chamber, never leaving the bed seemed more than perfect to her, and that's exactly what they planned to do, if no interruptions occurred. Before going on their honeymoon, they had plans about doing nothing but be with each other, and if it could be spent in his chambers, that would be a bonus.

Currently, the couple were resting under the sheets and furs, thriving in each other's company with wine and fruits. Caspian sat leant against the headboard, his dark hair now falling free, whilst Susan lay on her stomach right beside him, propped up on her elbows.

"In any case, we have the guards outside for a reason," she said, accepting another grape from him.

"True." He placed his goblet on the nightstand before turning back to gaze at her. She stretched against the mattress with closed eyes, sounding more like a kitten than anything else. When she relaxed again, she felt the weight of his gaze and looked up.

"Hmm?"

He gave her that famous lopsided smile of his, scooted further down and pulled her into his lap. Her front ended up laying against his while the rest of her body rested between his thigs.

"Do I need a reason to look at my beautiful wife?" he asked her cheekily. She smiled adoringly at him.

"No, I suppose not… husband," she responded kindly, testing the word on her tongue. His smile grew even more at her words, and he claimed her lips in a quick kiss.

"That sounds just about right," he said with a sigh as he nuzzled his nose against hers.

The rest of the evening was spent with wine, talk and passionate lovemaking until the early hours of the morning. And this time, they didn't have to hide, and make fleet escapes once come morning.

Now, they could wake up together, and go to bed together and love each other to the extent of their hearts as they began their life as husband and wife.

They had love – always love.

* * *

 **A/N: They are married! Whoa, what a journey this has been! Beginning as a one-shot, now a 14-chapter story. I originally didn't plan it, but you know how it is – once you start writing, you can never stop.**

 **And, if you haven't seen it, I found inspiration from Bella's wedding dress from Breaking Dawn as Susan's wedding dress, along with her hair.**

 **Lucy's last conversation with Aslan was inspired by the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and seeing in this story the Pevensies never left, I found it fitting to use Lucy's goodbye-scene with Aslan here!**

 **Now that I'm off school for a while, and only have work, I will hopefully be able to write more often!**

 **You take care in the meantime x**

 **Until then,**

 **Dragon**


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